14 Nov 18. Defence Select Committee. Meeting between French Senate and National Assembly and Defence Committee. On 13 November 2018 a delegation of the French Senate and National Assembly met Members of the UK Parliament in London to discuss UK-French defence cooperation and scrutinise the implementation of the 2010 bilateral defence treaties between France and the UK, the so-called Lancaster House Treaties.
Mr Christian Cambon (Chairman of the French Senate’s Select Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Armed Forces), Mr Jean-Jacques Bridey (President of the French Assembly’s Defence and Armed Forces Select Committee), Baroness Verma (Chair of the House of Lords’ EU External Affairs Sub-Committee) and the Rt Hon Dr Julian Lewis MP (Chair of the House of Commons’ Defence Select Committee) agreed the following joint communiqué: “This meeting reinforces the close defence relationship between the nations of France and the UK. Discussions were conducted in an atmosphere of mutual respect and friendship. The tone was constructive and we trust that we will be able to build on the strong bond shared by us in the years ahead.”
House of Commons and House of Lords Hansard Written Answers
Q
Asked by Mr Kevan Jones
(North Durham)
Asked on: 06 November 2018
Ministry of Defence
Defence Equipment: Cost Effectiveness
188743
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how the (a) Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft programme (b) Apache capability sustainment programme and (c) Type 26 frigate programme have realised those efficiencies referred to on page 8 of the Defence Equipment Plan 2018.
A
Answered by: Stuart Andrew
Answered on: 14 November 2018
As stated in the Defence Equipment Plan 2018, the Ministry of Defence has secured sizeable cost savings on the Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft (£207 million), Apache Capability Sustainment Programme (£132 million) and Type 26 frigates (£104 million). These are the result of efficiencies identified and realised by DefenceEquipment and Support through transformation initiatives. In particular, on the Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft, negotiations with the US Navy and Boeing achieved savings on the aircraft and the initial provision of capital spares. On Apache, economies of scales were achieved through negotiating combined requirements with the US Army and Boeing. And for Type 26, savings were achieved through using improved project control and commercial skills to adopt a much stronger negotiating strategy.