To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on progress made within the independent European programme group on the production of complementary contract bulletins by each of the 13 member countries; and what was the outcome of the recent meeting of the independent European programme group at Gleneagles in Scotland.

The Defence Ministers of the 13 independent European programme group (IEPG) nations met in Gleneagles on 21 February 1990. Nine IEPG nations have now started regular publication of bulletins of defence contract opportunities; the rest should follow later this year. This marks a major step towards the opening of the European defence equipment market. Ministers also reviewed progress on other aspects of the step by step opening of the European defence equipment market, and the establishment of the EUCLID European research and technology programme. A copy of the communiqué issued after the meeting has been placed in the Library of the House.