Joint Strike Fighter

Mr. Gerald Howarth
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set out details of the assurances given by the United States in connection with the transfer of technology on the Joint Strike Fighter; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the Memorandum of Understanding signed in Washington on 11 December.

Mr. Ingram
[holding answer 8 January 2007]: I am withholding the details of the assurances obtained from the United States in connection with information access to Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) data as their release would, or would be, likely to prejudice international relations. I can assure the hon. Member that the assurances we have received fully meet the requirements we set out to deliver operational sovereignty on JSF. A copy of the unclassified Production, Sustainment and Follow-On-Development MOU is available in the Library of the House.