§ 34. Sir A. V. Harveyasked the Minister of Aviation what amount of research into laminar flow has been expended during the past 10 years; and what existing contracts have been placed.
§ Mr. J. AmeryI would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth, West (Sir J. Eden) on 24th June. As my hon. Friend knows, there is an existing contract for the development and construction of the laminarised swept wing now being flight tested on a Lancaster aircraft. A further contract is now to be placed for the project study based on the conversion of a DH.125 to laminar flow.
§ Sir A. V. HarveyWhat my right hon. Friend says may be all right, but is he aware that in the last ten years British engineers have been leading the world in this development and that the Americans are now beginning to catch us up? If he is going to place a new contract, will he speed it up and let us get something moving so that we regain our leading place in the world?
§ Mr. AmeryI agree with my hon. Friend that this was a field in which 1048 we were pioneers. I have done my best to get things moving. I am glad to say that we are getting the new project study based on the DH.125 into action right away.