HC Deb 12 May 1965 vol 712 cc489-92
4. Mr. Marten

asked the Postmaster-General if he is satisfied with the exchange of technical information between the United States and British industry on the subject of communications satellites; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Benn

The Special Agreement on satellite communications signed in Washington in August 1964 provides for technical information about communication satellites, arising from work performed under contracts placed by the Committee, to be available to the signatories for use by them on work for the space segment of the system. Any such information will be made available by my Department to British industry.

Mr. Marten

Is the Postmaster-General aware that it is said that the Hughes Corporation has been stopped by the State Department from giving suitable information to the British Aircraft Corporation? As space is the ideal subject for international co-operation, will he make representations to the Americans that Hughes should be allowed to pass on information to the British Aircraft Corporation, and will he at the same time make a real and urgent effort to strengthen and speed up the European launcher development programme and to develop the British space launching vehicle for medium range satellites?

Mr. Benn

The Press reports to which the hon. Gentleman refers related to military satellite communications, which are the concern of my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Defence and the Minister of Aviation. On his other point, both the last Government and this Government have taken the view that working within the International Satellite Committee offers the best hope of progress, and that is the basis on which we are advancing.

Mr. Gibson-Watt

Will the right hon. Gentleman go a little further? My hon. Friend's Question asks whether he is satisfied with the exchange of technical information and he has not answered that so far. Is this going all right in his view?

Mr. Benn

Yes, Sir. The agreement was signed only last August, and contracts placed before the signature of the agreement are not covered by its terms. Therefore, there are certain operations, including the Early Bird operation, for which the contract was signed before August 1964, which are not the subject of exchange; but since the agreement came into force we have no reason at all to be dissatisfied with the exchange which is taking place.

Mr. Marten

The right hon. Gentleman referred to information on military satellites. My impression was different, that it extended to the commercial.

Mr. Speaker

Order. Will the hon. Gentleman explain what he means? His first words included the phrase, "It is said that". If he is referring to Press reports, it is not the Minister's function to confirm or deny them.

Mr. Marten

I was not referring to Press reports, Mr. Speaker.

Will the Postmaster-General give an undertaking to look into this and see that the restriction does not extend to commercial satellites?

Mr. Benn

If the hon. Gentleman cares to raise the matter with me, I shall, of course, look into it. Naturally, we differentiate between commercial communications satellites and military operations, for which we are not responsible.

22. Mr. Marten

asked the Postmaster-General if he will make a statement on Government policy towards synchronous and medium altitude satellites for communication purposes.

Mr. Benn

Design studies and experiments to evaluate the relative merits of synchronous and medium altitude satellites are now in hand by the Interim Communications Satellite Committee. This Committee, of which the United Kingdom is a member, was established by international agreements to set up a global system of satellite communications. It is expected that the Committee will decide, towards the end of this year, as to the type or types of satellites to be used in that system.

Mr. Marten

Does not the right hon. Gentleman agree that it is about time that British industry and the Government got together on this matter to form an integrated European space programme?

Mr. Benn

On the civil side—the communications satellite side—it was decided to operate through the international Committee. But Commonwealth interests are also involved and, as the hon. Member is aware, a Commonwealth Telecommunication Conference is sitting in London at the moment. The point that the hon. Member raises about European co-operation is more relevant on the launcher side, which is outside the scope of the Question.

Sir H. Legge-Bourke

Exactly where do the right hon. Gentleman's responsibilities in this matter lie, as distinct from those of the Minister of Technology, who is said to have sole responsibility for telecommunications? Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that unless there is close cohesion between the Minister of Technology and Dollis Hill we shall not get very far?

Mr. Benn

I can assure the hon. Gentleman that there is close co-operation between the Minister of Technology and myself on a whole host of matters bearing on the electronics and telecommunications industries, but the Post Office is the body which is responsible for exercising membership of the international committee in Washington and it is right that the Post Office, which has world cable responsibilities, should be the principal body responsible for international co-operation in communications.