HC Deb 11 May 1966 vol 728 cc386-8
14. Mr. R. Carr

asked the Minister of Aviation what action is being taken to ensure the availability of British or Anglo-European aircraft suitable to meet the future needs of British European Airways.

17. Mr. Onslow

asked the Minister of Aviation what discussions he has had with the Chairman of British European Airways and the management of the British Aircraft Corporation with a view to facilitating the purchase by British European Airways of an enlarged version of the Super VC10 aircraft; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Mulley

B.E.A. is still considering its fleet requirements from 1968 onwards. I am in touch with B.E.A. as well as with the British manufacturers, but the first step must be for B.E.A. to define its requirements, and I have asked it to do this.

Mr. Carr

Can the right hon. Gentleman assure the House that he is aware of the urgency of a decision here from the point of view of B.E.A. since it has defined its requirements exactly? Can he also assure the House that he realises what very grave damage would be done to the British industry if B.E.A. were required to buy an American aircraft?

Mr. Mulley

I think the right hon. Gentleman will concede that the urgency of the matter does not come to me until I get the proposals, but I appreciate the urgency of decisions and I am quite satisfied that B.E.A. will do its very best to buy British aircraft in future as in the past, and it will certainly have my full encouragement in that objective.

Mr. Onslow

Will the Minister assure the House that if proposals reach him quickly he will consider them quickly and that he will not dally and ultimately damn this project, as he has done with the VC10 Super, by leaving it under consideration for a very long time? Will he say how much money is involved?

Mr. Mulley

Until I hear from B.E.A. what their requirements are, it is impossible for me to give an estimate of the cost. The best evidence of my sense of urgency in this matter is that I have been pressing B.E.A. over a period of time to come forward with their requirements for this period.

Sir Ian On-Ewing

Would the Minister get some sense of urgency in this? He has announced today that B.O.A.C. are to buy Boeing aircraft. It would be deplorable if we were not given an opportunity in this country of building and developing the VC10 to meet the avowed needs of B.E.A. where traffic is growing much faster than anticipated.

Mr. Mulley

I think that it will be conceded that I should not order aircraft for either of the Corporations without at least having the views of the Corporations. I accept the urgency. I did not announce today, and it would not be for me to announce today, that B.O.A.C. are buying Boeings. I made it clear that I have had no proposals from B.O.A.C. about their future aircraft requirements.