Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent progress he has made on bilateral defence co-operation with France; and if he will make a statement. [42795]

The Rt Hon Dr Liam Fox MP; Secretary of State: We have taken a number of steps to implement the Defence and Security Co-operation treaty agreed with France on 2 November 2010.

There have been regular bilateral discussions including between Defence Ministers, the National Security Advisor, Chief of Defence Staff and Vice Chief of Defence Staff and their counterparts. We have discussed co-operation in the areas of operations, equipment and capabilities and have agreed a set of common objectives for this calendar year.

We will build on the existing close links between our armed forces in the coming months with a number of bilateral exercises with France aimed at increasing the levels of interoperability between our armed forces.

We have also made progress on the second treaty relating to collaboration on hydro-dynamics. The planned Teutates Technology Development Centre, to be built at the Atomic Weapons Establishment Aldermaston, and the Teutates Epure facility, to be built in Valduc, France, are now in the project concept phase. We expect they will be operational from 2015.