EAST Lancashire MP Gordon Prentice has welcomed a double boost for the sub-region's aerospace industry -- from the German Parliament and Prime Minister Tony Blair.

German MPs have finally backed the production of the multi-nation military transport plane based on the successful airbus.

This is a major boost for British Aerospace -- a lead contractor in the European Consortium which has two Lancashire factories at Samlesbury and Warton -- and Rolls Royce, who have a factory in Mr Prentice's Pendle constituency which makes the engines for the aircraft.

Mr Blair has written to the Labour backbencher promising the government is doing all it can in terms of supporting the civil airline industry and the plane makers who supply it and trying to bring forward military orders.

Mr Prentice is delighted with both moves, vital in trying to keep the aerospace industry flying in the North-West and maintaining employment at BAe, Rolls and the dozens of small companies that supply the big contractors.

He has signed a Commons motion put down by Chorley MP Lindsay Hoyle applauding the German Parliament decision. They backed their government in committing billions of pounds to the four nations Airbus 400M project. The motion congratulates both the Germans and the British government for supporting the scheme in the face of strong competition from an American alternative.

Mr Prentice said: "This will allow the United Kingdom to press ahead with the construction work which will secure thousands of jobs in the United Kingdom.

"I call on the the government to continue working with its European partners on the A400M project and other joint defence projects which will benefit the UK aerospace industry.''