Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he plans to take on the AJAX programme, in response to the conclusion of the Millbrook Proving Ground assessment; and if he will make a statement.

The independent Millbrook trials have been commissioned and are due to conclude next month. The Ministry of Defence will carefully consider the results of the trials to determine what further steps may be required. The Ministry of Defence will not take Ajax into Initial Operating Capability until the Department are satisfied that the capability meets our requirements.