asked the Secretary of State for Defence when the first Tornado Air Defence Variant is scheduled to make its maiden flight.

The flight of the first F2 prototype should take place towards the end of this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what steps are being taken to increase production of front and rear fuselage sections of Tornado so as to obviate present delays in the aircraft's production programme.

Recovery measures to reduce the extent of this industrial slippage have been identified and are at present under review by the three partner nations. The slippages in the production programme are not likely to affect the rate of build-up of operational Tornado squadrons.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what explanation he has given to the German Government of the six-month delay in deliveries of Tornado aircraft to the German navy.

Changes in the delivery programme for Tornado are a matter for negotiation between the international management agency, NAMMA, which acts no behalf of all three partner nations, and Panavia, the prime contractor for the production of the Tornado. Full information about the causes of slippage in the programme has been provided by NAMMA to all three partners.