Oral Answers to Questions

Lord Beamish Excerpts

Monday 20th November 2023 Commons Chamber

[The Minister for Armed Forces (James Heappey)]

I am well aware of my right hon. Friend’s concerns. I am happy to meet him and discuss them further.

[Mr Kevan Jones (North Durham) (Lab)]

T9.   Has the MOD made any further payments in addition to the £480 million it paid to General Dynamics in March of this year? I understand that subcontractors on the programme are not being paid, or are not being paid the amounts they expected. Is there any reason why General Dynamics should not be paying its subcontractors on this programme?

[James Cartlidge]

The right hon. Gentleman is very knowledgeable on these matters, and I am more than happy for him to write to me about them. The Ajax contract is a firm price contract, and I am very pleased to say that we are getting very positive feedback from the Household Cavalry about that platform’s capability, its sensors and its cannon. I do not know the answer to the right hon. Gentleman’s specific question about payments to subcontractors, so he is more than welcome to write to me.