§ 81. Mr. Perkinsasked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether he is aware that it is proposed to manufacture Isotta-Fraschini engines in this country; and whether he proposes to buy these engines for either the Royal Air Force expansion scheme or for civil aviation?
§ Commander Southby (Lord of the Treasury)I have been asked to reply. I understand that a British firm proposes to manufacture fluid-cooled aero engines under licence from the Isotta-Fraschini Company. The policy of the Air 978 Ministry with regard to aero engines was fully stated in my right hon. Friend's reply to my hon. Friend on 9th December last. For the reasons stated in that reply it is not the policy of the Air Ministry to purchase foreign engines in quantity when equivalent and equally suitable types of British designed engines are available.
§ Mr. PerkinsCould the answer that it is not proposed to buy foreign engines appear in the forthcoming prospectus?
§ Commander SouthbyI will pass that question to my right hon. Friend.
§ 83. Mr. Perkinsasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that it is proposed to manufacture Isotta-Fraschini marine engines in this country; and whether it is the intention of the Admiralty to buy any of these engines?
§ The Civil Lord of the Admiralty (Mr. Kenneth Lindsay)The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. No negotiations have taken place with the firm on the question of purchasing these engines.