DEFENCE Secretary Geoff Hoon was accused last night of sneaking through a deal to prepare RAF Fylingdales for the "son of Star Wars" project as MPs packed up for Christmas.

The Tories leapt on the announcement, as Westminster began its recess, that a "memorandum of understanding" had been signed with the US.

Shadow defence spokesman Gerald Howarth said it was almost a year to the day since the Government said it had received a US request to upgrade the North Yorkshire radar base.

He said: "We welcome the announcement. This system will play a vital role in the future security of our country.

"However, it is disappointing that the Government has, once again, slipped out an announcement on the last parliamentary day before Christmas, to minimise the chance of upsetting hostile Labour MPs."

Mr Howarth also said the memorandum made no reference to benefits to British industry from taking part in the upgrade.

The document added little detail to an announcement last summer, which promised the pact would give British firms opportunities to take part in the project.

It also guarantees an exchange of information between Britain and the US, along with a management structure to oversee the project.

Mr Hoon said Britain was not committed to the acquisition or deployment of missile defence, with permission restricted to the upgrade of computer software at Fylingdales.

Earlier this year, the Westminster defence committee criticised Mr Hoon's "deplorable" handling of the US request to use Fylingdales.