QinetiQ

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contracts his Department has with QinetiQ; and what the (a) monetary value and (b) length is of each such contract. [177308]

Mr Dunne: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has around 290 current contracts with QinetiQ. Any contracts that the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has with QinetiQ, prior to 2011, is provided as follows. It includes contracts let by MOD Trading Funds, but does not include pan-Government enabling contracts, Government Procurement Card payments or miscellaneous transactions. It includes contracts with Graphics Research Corporation Ltd, which is wholly owned by QinetiQ.

Since January 2011, as part of this Government's commitment to increase transparency, central Government Departments have been required to publish information on the contracts, worth over £10,000, they award on the Contracts Finder. This information is available online at

www.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk

In some instances the contract date is in the past. This could either be because outstanding payments are still to be made under the terms of the existing contract, or the contract has been extended and records have not yet been updated to reflect this.

28 Nov 2013 : Column 437W

28 Nov 2013 : Column 438W

Sea King Helicopters

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the gearbox safety of the Sea King helicopter fleet after the emergency landing of Sea King HU5 ZA130 (8) 19 from HMS Gannet on 13 October 2013. [177247]

Mr Dunne: In accordance with standard operating procedures, an immediate investigation was launched following a precautionary landing of a Sea King Mk 5 aircraft from HMS Gannet on 13 October 2013. The investigation was carried out by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and AgustaWestland, the Design Organisation for the aircraft, and concluded that the risk of this type of fault leading to a serious safety issue is very low. As a precaution, an inspection regime has been instigated to inspect and monitor the gearboxes of all of the MOD Sea King fleet.

Shipbuilding

Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with his US counterpart on the use of the UK for the building of ships for the US Navy; and what steps he is taking to promote the UK as a location for naval ship building in the future. [177218]

Mr Dunne: The Secretary of State for Defence and the US Secretary of Defence have not discussed the UK building ships for the US Navy. The UK is inhibited by the restrictions imposed by US Act of Congress 7309. This Act forbids the construction of a military vessel (or any substantial part thereof) at a foreign yard unless authorised by the President, in the interests of national security. Legal restrictions also exist on the leasing of foreign vessels by the US military.

The UK is actively marketing the Type 26 Global Combat Ship globally. Defence Ministers have discussed the Type 26 with a number of countries and we expect further interest once the UK has made its formal investment decision, which is expected to be in late 2014.