To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what (a) correspondence and (b) meetings his Department has had with the European Commission concerning subsidies to British Aerospace.

[holding answer 27 March 1990]: There have been various meetings and exchanges of correspondence with the Commission concerning its inquiries into the terms of the sale of Rover Group to British Aerospace. The Commission has not yet concluded its inquiries. My Department is also in regular contact with the Commission about support to the partners in Airbus Industrie, which includes British Aerospace.