§ 42. Mr. de Freitasasked the Minister of Supply what Government contracts have been placed recently for the Gloster Javelin.
§ The Minister of Supply (Mr. Reginald Maudling)None, Sir, as orders to meet all present Government requirements have been placed for some time.
§ Mr. de FreitasWill the Minister do something to clear up the confusion which exists when the unions concerned can say that there is coming redundancy because of the shortage of follow-up orders and the firm itself is reported in the Aeroplane as saying that it has considerable large orders for this aircraft?
§ Mr. MaudlingThere are large outstanding orders from Her Majesty's Government, but, in face of the general economy in defence expenditure, the rate at which these orders are being fulfilled may be slowed down. The firm cannot be certain, nor can we, of the exact output next year or the year after, because so much depends on export orders. There are prospects—one cannot say they are certainties—of very substantial export orders.