PENDLE MP Gordon Prentice was today meeting British Aerospace Chief Executive John Weston over the proposed axing of 2,200 jobs in the company's military aircraft division, including 882 at its Samlesbury and Warton plants.

The Labour back-bencher has already branded redundancies "incomprehensible" in the light of the purchase of 620 Eurofighter Typhoons by the four partner nations.

As he set off for the meeting, Mr Prentice said: "The Eurofighter project is a hugely expensive programme which has enormous economic significance to the North West region and from my own Pendle constituency.

"I want to know what the effect, if any, the company's decision will have on BAe suppliers throughout the region."

Meanwhile defence Minister John Spellar has dismissed new fears that the new German government might pull out of the Eurofighter Typhoon project and claimed that the futuristic warplane has major export prospects.

He spoke out in the House of Commons after MPs raised fears about the Bonn administration's attitude to the four nation co-operation also involving Spain and Italy.

Labour backbencher Paul Flynn and Tory Richard Ottaway both highlighted reports about German doubts on the plane.

Mr Spellar said:"You should not believe every report in the newspapers, not least because Germany has a production contract. "We believe that Eurofighter is the aircraft best suited to our needs in terms both of cost and operational effectiveness.

"We believe that matters are moving well and we have had no indication from the German government of any change to the contract they have signed."

Mr Spellar said earlier sharp rises in costs to the level of £1.5 billion had no been curbed and there was no likelihood of further increases.

He confirmed that there was no change in the Royal Air Force's order for 232 Eurofighters which he said would be a "major addition" to its capability.

And he held out the prospect of major export orders saying: "We expect the project to be delivered to the Royal Air Force in mid-2002. In spite of earlier difficulties the project is working well.

"There have been serious expressions of interest from Norway and Greece, and a major platform is being developed in European countries. The project is a success of European collaboration."

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