To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he discussed with British Aerospace the possibility of not authorising work on the order for the eighth batch of Tornado aircraft.

The Ministry of Defence maintains close and detailed discussions with all its main suppliers; the timing and content of these discussions is commercially confidential between the Ministry of Defence and the suppliers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his reply of 25 June, when he informed British Aerospace of his decision not to authorise work on the order for the eighth batch of Tornado aircraft.

The contracting authority for the Tornado is the NATO Multi-Role Combat Aircraft Development and Production Management Agency (NAMMA). It was informed of the decision on 18 June. British Aerospace was advised informally on the same day.