§ 13. Mr. Emrys Hughesasked the First Lord of the Admiralty to what extent his technical advisers have studied the design of aircraft carriers built for the United States Navy; and what account he takes of such designs in assessing design requirements for aircraft carriers for the British Navy.
§ Mr. J. P. L. ThomasMy technical advisers keep in close touch with those of the United States. Frequent discussions take place, and the development and 2740 design of aircraft carriers and their equipment takes account of the best features available from either Navy within the limits of the resources available.
§ Mr. HughesWould the Minister tell us whether his technical advisers have studied the design of the latest aircraft carrier built in the U.S.A., which is estimated to have cost£70 million? Can he give an assurance that he will not adopt any such design as that? Can he also inform us whether Lord Montgomery has been authorised to conduct any negotiations on behalf of the Admiralty? Has he seen the argument between Lord Montgomery and the American Secretary of State for the Navy? Can he give us some enlightenment about this controversy which is raging in America?
§ Mr. ThomasI do not propose to tell the hon. Member what our building programme is The Estimates will tell him. I think I can fairly safely give an assurance that we are not likely to build carriers such as the one which he has mentioned, the "Forrestal," but in our carrier programme we are in the forefront of all countries, both in development and design, I am glad to say. Costly though the "Forrestal" was—and we had not to pay for it—I am glad to say that it included such British developments as the angled flight deck and the mirror deck-landing device. Turning to the second part of the Question, Lord Montgomery was not speaking for the British Navy, as the hon. Member will have realised. He was answered very thoroughly by my opposite number in the United States, and I myself answered him the other day.