ANGLO-FRENCH VARIABLE GEOMETRY AIRCRAFT (Hansard, 29 June 1967)

§ Q7. MR. EDELMAN
To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he had with President de Gaulle during his recent 749 meeting on Anglo-French co-operation in the aircraft industry.

§ Mr. Edelman
On a point of order. In view of the very serious reports from France that the A.F.V.G. project may be cancelled, and the catastrophic effect which that would have on the employment situation in the aircraft industry, will the Prime Minister consider answering Question No. Q7?

§ Mr. Speaker
That is for the Prime Minister. I have had no request from the right hon. Gentleman to answer that.

§ The Prime Minister
If it is the desire of the House, I will seek permission to answer that Question.
The Answer which I intended to give was, "I have nothing to add to the Answers I gave to Questions on 20th June".
In view of the concern which has been expressed, I ought to add that, as the House may know, my right hon. Friend is discussing these matters with M. Messmer this afternoon. I know that he will take an early opportunity of informing the House of the conclusions of those discussions. I believe that there are Questions to him about the subject next week.

§ Mr. Edelman
I thank my right hon. Friend for that reply and I hope that the discussions between my right hon. Friend and M. Messmer will reach a successful conclusion. In the event of the cancellation of this all-important project, have the Government any contingency plans for the aircraft industry?

§ The Prime Minister
My hon. Friend should await the completion of the talks between my right hon. Friend and M. Messmer. Any situation which may or may not arise from those talks can then be more fully considered.

§ Mr. Leadbitter
On a point of order.

§ Mr. Speaker
The hon. Member can raise his point of order in a moment.

§ Mr. Onslow
As the Secretary of State for Defence will no doubt be under great pressure from the Press this evening about the result of these talks, can the Prime Minister say whether we can expect a statement in the House from the right hon. Gentleman tomorrow?

§ The Prime Minister
I will bring my right hon. Friend's attention to the hon. Gentleman's question. I said that there were Questions on this subject to my right hon. Friend next week, and I thought that that might have been an convenient time; but I will inform my right hon. Friend of what has been said.

§ Mr. Lubbock
If this project was to be jointly financed by ourselves and the French, would it not have been better if we had not decided to spend £336 million on an American plane?

§ The Prime Minister
No, Sir. That does not arise in any sense, because there are certain financial difficulties on the French side because of their economic position. It is about that that my right hon. Friend is now talking to M. Messmer.

§ Mr. Heath
While we are awaiting the statement by the Secretary of State for Defence, will the Prime Minister confirm that, both operationally and industrially, this aircraft still remains the core of our long-term defence programme?

§ The Prime Minister
I have nothing to add to what has been said on this subject in previous Defence Reviews and defence debates. This, of course, is a joint venture between ourselves and the French and it requires two parties to continue with it. We shall have to see what is the outcome of the talks between my right hon. Friend and M. Messmer.