B. O. A. C. (PURCHASE OF U.S. AIRCRAFT)

HC Deb 09 April 1946 vol 421 cc1798-9

56. Captain Delarģy

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will withdraw the sanction to use American dollars for the purchase by B. O. A. C. of the five Constellation aircraft, in view of the rapid progress now being made in the production of the Tudors I and Tudors II, and in view of the technical and other delays involved in the purchase and delivery of the Constellations.

Mr. Dalton

No, Sir. The decision to buy Constellations was taken in full knowledge of the schedule for the production of the Tudors; and I am advised that there have been no delays in the plans for introducing the Constellations into service.

Captain Delarģy

Is the Chancellor aware that there has been much indignation at the news of this purchase, especially at this moment when our skilled aircraft workers are being laid off as redundant?

Mr. Dalton

If the latter statement is correct, it shows incompetence in a branch of private industry. The desire of the Government is to get as many good civil aircraft as they can and to get them into the air as soon as possible. This covers both the Constellations and the Tudors. We want the lot.

Wing-Commander Geoffrey Cooper

Can my right hon. Friend say what is the procedure followed by his Department in such cases, and whether dollars are made available as a result of a request from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the Ministry of Supply or direct from B. O. A. C.?

Mr. Dalton

Certainly not the latter. The B. O. A. C. are only a chosen instrument of a Government Department. The primary responsibility is that of the Ministry of Aircraft Production, It my hon. and gallant Friend wants any further information, he should address his request to the Parliamentary Secretary of that Ministry.

Mr. W. Shepherd

Is not the Chancellor aware that the present position is due to our preoccupation during the war with combat types and not to any inefficiency?

Mr. Dalton

That is undoubtedly true. During the war, we focussed our attention on combat types, whereas the United States focussed on civilian transport types, but it is also true that, since the war, a drive has been set on foot to produce good civilian aircraft in this country and the Government are anxious to do all they can to forward it.