Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of buying secondhand airframes from China.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) seeks to provide the best equipment and to deliver the required capability to our Armed Forces as efficiently and as effectively as possible, while also delivering value for money to the UK taxpayer. When appropriate, this may involve the use of second-hand airframes, particularly as a means of delivering an early entry into service of important capabilities. Decisions are based on a thorough evaluation of available options, together with rigorous scrutiny and approvals processes, which enable the MOD to take an appropriate risk-based approach.

The safety and security of our personnel are our highest priorities meaning that it must be demonstrated that second-hand airframes, regardless of origin, meet our requirements. This might involve the airframes being stripped down, refitted and subjected to stringent security checks as required.