---

Defence Industrial Strategy

Obviously, that is one of the issues that has to be dealt with. Whenever I make a statement on any aspect of defence, the hon. Gentleman always has a perfect right to comment, as his constituency seems to have an interest in almost everything defence related. He has identified a problem that we must resolve, but I shall make one general point about the EDA. We do not regard it as an autonomous body that can order and procure on its own. If I may use the expression, we think of it more as a dating agency—a body that brings member states together to collaborate on projects that they consider worthwhile. It does not act over and above the member states, but rather brings them together.