§ 17. Mr. Wainwrightasked the Minister of Aviation if he will make a statement on the progress that has been made up to date by the European Launcher Development Organisation.
§ Mr. Roy JenkinsI would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer I gave on 21st July last to the right hon. Member for Sutton Coldfield (Mr. Geoffrey Lloyd).
§ Mr. WainwrightWould my hon. Friend always take into account the fact that this country is apt to get behind in this kind of launcher development? Would he ensure that money is spent to make certain that this country, along with other countries, makes good progress?
§ Mr. JenkinsYes, and I think that, in evaluating what we can do in this respect, it is important to bear in mind that more is likely to be done on a collaborative than on an individual basis, but that does not affect the fact that we still need value for money.
§ Mr. Eldon GriffithsWould not the Minister agree that it is of vital importance that the E.L.D.O. organisation should succeed, because unless we are able to provide some form of international launcher device, which will get European satellites into orbit, we shall have to accept—perhaps for all time—that the United States and the Soviet Union will have a monopoly in world telecommunications? It is, therefore, of great importance to the industry and the balance of payments of this country that we should, in some way, create a launching vehicle 1678 which will enable us to have satellite communications.
§ Mr. JenkinsI accept a large part of what the hon. Member said. It is not the case that, since this Government came into office, we have been unco-operative in E.L.D.O.
§ 18. Mr. Wainwrightasked the Minister of Aviation if he will give the total cost, up to the latest available date, of the United Kingdom's contribution to the European Launcher Development Organisation project.
§ Mr. Roy JenkinsFor the period to 31st December, 1964, our liability for contributions was £15.15 million, of which £13.02 millions were actually paid.
§ Mr. WainwrightIs my right hon. Friend quite satisfied that we are spending sufficient money to make rapid progress? Would he confirm that we do not want to pay a very high rental to other countries for telecommunications when we can obtain satellite communications of our own, in conjunction with our European friends?
§ Mr. JenkinsIn this review, which is proceeding extremely actively at present, I will bear in mind what my hon. Friend has said. I am grateful to him for his expression of opinion.
§ Mr. David PriceWould the right hon. Gentleman assist the House, when he makes his review, by also giving the House a considerably more detailed written statement—possibly in the form of a blue book or a White Paper—than he could ever give in a statement? He will appreciate that a number of hon. Members on both sides of the House, who are extremely interested in E.L.D.O.—he will always have our support—want to know more details of what is going on.
§ Mr. JenkinsI will bear in mind how I can best communicate to the House—which I want to do very fully—the results of this review.
§ Mr. MawbyWill the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind, with regard to telecommunications, that we have a stake in a world system and that there is no need to go forward on this purely for telecommunications reasons, as some hon. Gentlemen have suggested?
§ Mr. JenkinsI do not think that there is a need purely for telecommunications reasons, although this is one factor to be taken into account, with others.