asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement as to how he interpret project definition for the purpose of the arrangements that exist between the Public Accounts Committee and hi Department for the notification of defence projects likely to incur substantial expenditure.
asked the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 2 February, if he will define th term full development or production in relation to th stage at which projects are notified to the Committee o Public Accounts.
Project definition, which immediately precedes full development, is the stage at which th technical uncertainties involved in meeting a staff requirement are clarified, and costs and time scales for possible development and production are established. Full development is the programme of design engineering leading to the acceptance of an equipment into service. Production is the manufacturing of new equipment in the required numbers.Projects are deemed to enter project definition, full development or production stages when formal approval has been given to the proposed expenditure for that stage.