Asked by: Mark Menzies (Independent - Fylde)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reasons his Department has not negotiated a workshare component in its contract to buy Apache helicopters off-the-shelf from Boeing in the US.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
We are buying our new Apache AH-64E helicopters through a Foreign Military Sale with the United States Government. This approach delivers the best possible value for money for the UK taxpayer, allowing us to take advantage of established production lines and the resulting economies of scale, while ensuring we deliver a world-leading capability to our Armed Forces.
A number of UK companies have secured work on the global Apache supply chain, delivering products that will be used in our new helicopters and those being delivered to the US Army as well as other international customers. There will also be significant opportunities for UK companies to assist in the provision of support and training services for our new Apache helicopter fleet.
Separately, as per the announcement at Farnborough Airshow on 11 July 2016, Boeing are investing significantly in the UK creating more than 100 new jobs.