EUROPEAN FUTURE LARGE AIRCRAFT PROGRAMME

That this House notes that a commitment from Her Majesty's Government to the European Future Large Aircraft programme would secure and create employment throughout the United Kingdom and would provide high technology work for British Aerospace, Rolls-Royce and Shorts as well as significant prospects for over 60 equipment supply companies in more than 100 hundred constituencies; further notes that the American Lockheed C-1301J programme would offer virtually no work to the United Kingdom's airframe or engine manufacturers and would involve only 19 companies in no more than 25 constituencies; also notes that the the FLA programme will be the last major aerospace project in the United Kingdom this century; urges the Secretary of State for Defence to give full consideration to the benefits of the European Future Large Aircraft when making decisions about a replacement for the Hercules; also urges the President of the Board of Trade to be mindful of both the trade benefits and employment opportunities for skilled British workers of a decision to support the FLA programme; and calls on Her Majesty's Government to commit to European Future Large Aircraft programme at launch thereby ensuring the associated industrial and employment benefits to the United Kingdom.