§ 21. Mr. Ness Edwardsasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Aircraft Production whether he has considered the particulars of the capacity of an aircraft manufacturing firm, a copy of which has been sent to him; and why this first-class plant has not been put on to war work?
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Aircraft Production (Colonel Llewellin)Two of my hon. Friends brought the firm to my personal notice last month, and I thereafter caused one of our local production officers to visit its works. Although the firm is suitably equipped for making small civil aeroplanes, its works are not large enough for assemblies of operational types. The firm, however, now have orders for parts of certain machines, and I have taken steps to see that their unused capacity is brought to the notice of any main contractors who might have use for it. Their machine tool shop is, I believe, already fully employed.
§ Mr. EdwardsIs the hon. and gallant Gentleman not aware that the managing director of this firm at a meeting a fortnight ago declared that since the war they have been almost completely idle and that they could have produced some 300 light bombers?
§ Colonel LlewellinI do not know what the managing director said a fortnight ago, but it was since that date that we have had the production officer in this works. I do not think they can produce the types of an operational nature with which we are proud to equip the Royal Air Force.