asked the Secretary of State for Defence what prospects he is now able to assess for overseas contracts for the new Nimrod radar detection aircraft.

As I informed my hon. Friend the Member for Kingston upon Hull, Central (Mr. McNamara) on 22nd February, there is no possibility of Nimrod's being adopted by NATO for the whole alliance. If, following NATO decisions, the United Kingdom proceeds with the development of Nimrod AEW, then the aircraft could meet a number of potential requirements in non-NATO countries, although the market for a sophisticated system of this type is very limited.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a further statement on negotiations to purchase an airborne early warning aircraft for the RAF and NATO.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will now make a statement on the future of the airborne warning and control system project.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when a decision will be reached by NATO in relation to airborne warning and control system and Nimrod.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is now in a position to make a statement about the purchase of Nimrod surveillance aircraft for use in Great Britain's air defences.

I have nothing to add to the reply I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Hazel Grove (Mr. Arnold).

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he yet knows the latest date by which a decision must be made on the purchase of a new airborne early-warning system in view of the continuation in the development costs of the British Nimrod project.

As soon as possible; our Allies fully understand the position.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence in what role it is intended to deploy the Hawker Siddeley airborne early warning version of Nimrod; and whether he will make a statement.

The Nimrod AEW aircraft would, if procured, be based in this country and would operate in the United Kingdom air defence region, and over the Eastern Atlantic and Channel area.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the cost to date of Great Britain's contribution to the NATO airborne warning and control system programme.

The expenditure to the end of February 1977 by the United Kingdom as a contribution to the NATO AWACS programme was approximately £0·6 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is his estimate of the cost of making the airborne warning and control system fully compatible with the RAF's communications systems, both airbone and ground-based.

I assume the hon. Member is referring to the Boeing E3A AWACS. Its costs, and Britain's share of them, are still under discussion in NATO, and I cannot, therefore, provide the information.