asked the Secretary of State for Defence if, in the next two months, he will be conferring with representatives of the aerospace industry of the United Kingdom with a view to seeking to gain strategic defence initiative research contracts for the United Kingdom.

I refer to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Elmet (Mr. Batiste) and the hon. Member for Houghton and Washington (Mr. Boyes) on 26 March at column 178. We are now considering our response to the formal invitation from the United States Secretary of Defence to indicate, within 60 days, areas of research in which the United Kingdom would be interested in participating. It remains our intention to keep closely in touch with United Kingdom industries, including aerospace industries, which have relevant expertise to offer.