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Nimrod Review

I think I recall that, many years ago, the noble Lord flew me to an oil rig. The Secretary of State announced yesterday that the Nimrod MR2 would be brought out of service 12 months earlier than planned. He emphasised, as do I, that that was not related to the Haddon-Cave report. I thank the noble Lord for that acknowledgement. There will, as a result, be some reduced capability and the initial deferring of the MRA4 capability. My understanding is that the reconnaissance versions will be kept, with sufficient capability to support our forces. If I have to trim from that, I will write to the noble Lord. I welcome the noble Lord’s comments on the CAA and the MAA. They are analogous to a degree but, as he will know, the CAA environment is very much one in which many airlines operate common types to a very prescribed situation. The MAA acknowledges the inevitability of national sovereignty in operating special types of aircraft. So in many ways it will need a different sort of capability, and in some ways a more enhanced capability than the CAA. The civil accident investigation branch will continue to support military accident investigations. In addition, we will grow our own military accident investigation capability. There will be regard in the MAA for the value of CAA experience, with the idea of the cross-fertilisation of directors. As I understand it, that is being pursued. If I have to demur from that, I will of course write to the noble Lord. I am assured that the MR1 out-of-service date is not affected by yesterday’s Statement. So the reconnaissance version will continue as planned.