HC Deb 24 January 1967 vol 739 cc1250-1
17. Mr. J. H. Osborn

asked the Minister of Technology how many leading hovercraft engineers and designers have left British firms and organisations to take up employment with their American competitors; and if he will take steps, by legislation or otherwise, to ensure that British patents and "know-how" are not given to their American competitors by means of a brain drain of this type.

Mr. Dell

Exact statistics are not available; but I know of six hovercraft technologists who have left this country to work in the U.S.A. during the last four or five years.

An American company already has licences from this country to manufacture hovercraft.

Mr. Osborn

Where Government finance has been used to develop the hovercraft and other ventures, what steps have been taken to ensure that senior engineers, technicians and technologists are bound by contract or agreement not to take part in similar activities in this country or elsewhere? Will the Parliamentary Secretary look into this situation to ensure that when we develop technologies of this type, there are contracts which bind people to Government finance as well as other technological developments?

Mr. Dell

I will certainly look into what the hon. Member says. I should, however, emphasise that American patents have been granted to us which correspond to the British hovercraft patents and are protected by American law.

Sir A. V. Harvey

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that the House has been told by the Prime Minister and other Ministers during the past two years that when the TSR2 contract was cancelled the engineers engaged upon it would go into the export business, but that this simply has not happened? Why do the Government shirk the responsibility of finding out from the firms involved how, when and where these men go when they leave these very important companies?

Mr. Dell

In this case, we know where these men have gone. I remind the hon. Member, however, that the reason why there is a lack of statistics in this area is because when right hon. Gentlemen opposite were in office they discontinued these statistics.