HC Deb 09 December 1936 vol 318 cc1979-80
26. Mr. PERKINS

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether companies tendering for the South Atlantic route will be allowed to buy foreign aircraft?

Sir P. SASSOON

The proposals under consideration for an air service across the South Atlantic have been invited on the understanding that it should be an essential requirement that the airframes and engines should be of British manufacture throughout and that preference would be given to airframes and engines of British design.

27. Mr. PERKINS

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether he is aware that during the last two years there have been several new companies started in this country to manufacture foreign aero-engines under licence; and whether it is the intention of the Government to buy in quantity foreign engines made under licence in this country?

Sir P. SASSOON

The main factors on which the policy of the Air Ministry with regard to the purchase of aero-engines is based, were fully stated in the White Paper recently issued. They may, for convenience, be summarised as follow:

  1. (a)The types of aeroplane adopted for Service use govern the engine requirements.
  2. (b) The firm designing any particular aeroplane is primarily responsible for determining the type of engine most suitable for their design. Only in rare cases would the Air Ministry prescribe the type of engine to be used.
  3. (c)The choice of engine is restricted to types which have passed a British type-test or have a reasonable prospect of doing so by the time production in quantity would be required.
  4. (d)The choice of engine may be further restricted by the need for some measure of standardisation as it is important to avoid a multiplicity of types in Service.
All these considerations emphasise the soundness of the policy of concentrating on British types of proved excellence. The Air Ministry would not, however, refuse to consider the purchase of engines of foreign design made in this country though it is not the policy to buy such engines in quantity when equivalent and equally suitable types of British-designed aero-engines are available.