To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the contract specification for delivery dates for the A400M aircraft is; and what penalty clauses there are for late delivery in the contract. (259667)

The A400M contract specifies delivery of the 25 A400M UK aircraft at agreed dates starting in March 2010 and ending in April 2015. The contract does not include penalty clauses but does include provisions for liquidated damages for late delivery against the contractually specified delivery dates.