§ 6. Mr. Beswickasked the Minister of Supply what number of Tudor aircraft are being converted to freighters; what will be the cost; and when they will be delivered.
§ Mr. G. R. StraussTen Tudor aircraft are at present being converted into 724 freighters. Delivery will probably be completed before the end of the year. It would be contrary to established practice to disclose prices paid under Government contracts.
§ 7. Mr. Beswickasked the Minister of Supply what quantity of Tudor aircraft and aircraft parts ordered by his Department there are for which there are no customers; and to whom do these machines and parts now belong.
§ Mr. G. R. StraussOwing to reductions in the total number of Tudor aircraft on order, there are for disposal considerable quantities of material, components and equipment, which are the property of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, on whose behalf the contracts were placed. There are no complete Tudor aircraft for disposal by my Department.
§ 8. Mr. Beswickasked the Minister of Supply what is the total number of Tudor aircraft, of different marks, ordered by or through his Department; how many have been delivered to the national air Corporations; how many to private concerns; and what is the price in each case.
§ Mr. G. R. StraussAs the answer contains a number of figures, I will, with my hon. Friend's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. BeswickIn this information which is to be circularised, am I to be told the price of the aircraft concerned?
§ Mr. StraussI am afraid that that would be contrary to the usual practice. Those figures, I am afraid, I cannot publish.
§ Mr. BeswickCan the Minister give me some guidance as to how we can find out how the taxpayers' money is being spent in this case?
§ Mr. StraussThe accounts of all Government Departments, as my hon. Friend knows, are scrutinised by the Public Accounts Committee.
§ Mr. BeswickIs it not the case that in reference to this particular business figures have been published in the public Press, and that the figures that have been published have given rise to a good deal of disquiet? Would it not be much better to give the facts of the case?
§ Mr. StraussI am sure my hon. Friend appreciates the difficulty of publishing figures showing the prices at which contracts are made.
§ Following is the answer:
§ The total number of Tudor aircraft, including prototypes, originally ordered was 105, of which 24 were Mark 1 and 81 Mark 2. Owing to subsequent reductions in the orders and changes to later marks, the position is now as follows:
| Tudor Aircraft Mark | Delivered | Still on order |
| 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 2 | 4 | — |
| 3 | — | 2 |
| 4 | 6 | 10 |
| 5 | 6 | — |
| 6 | — | — |
| 7 | 1 | — |
| 8 | — | 1 |
| 9 | — | 5 |
| Total | 18 | 22 |
§ Six Mark 4 and five Mark 5 have been delivered to B.S.A.A.C. and one Mark 2 and one Mark 5 to a private firm. It would be contrary to established practice to disclose the prices paid.