§ 30. Mr. Staintonasked the Minister of Aviation what is the latest estimate of the total research and development costs of the Concord project; what proportion will be for the account of the United Kingdom Government; how the total compares with the estimate made by the British and French Government early last year; and what are the reasons for the difference.
§ Mr. MulleyWe and our French partners are at present conducting a thorough review of the cost of the project and I am therefore not yet in a position to give a a revised estimate.
As regards the division of costs, the Anglo-French Agreement of 29th November, 1962, provides that they shall be shared as equally as possible between the United Kingdom and France.
§ Mr. StaintonWould the right hon. Gentleman assure the House that he has not rejected the idea of the possible extension of the Select Committee system to controlling this type of expenditure?
§ Mr. MulleyI have not rejected any ideas of this kind, but I should like to have much more information about how a Select Committee could run a very complicated aircraft project being shared on an international basis.