§ 1. Mr. Martenasked the Minister of Technology if he will make a further statement about Concorde costs.
§ 4. Mr. Sheldonasked the Minister of Technology if he will make a further statement on the Concorde.
§ 6. Mr. Onslowasked the Minister of Technology if he will make a further statement on the progress of the Concorde programme.
§ 50. Mr. Moonmanasked the Minister of Technology if he will make a further statement on the Concorde project.
§ 65. Mr. Ellisasked the Minister of Technology if he will make a further statement on the progress of the Concorde programme.
§ The Minister of Technology (Mr. Anthony Wedgwood Benn)Prototype 002 is being fitted with the engines to the higher standard necessary for flight tests at cruising speed. The results of recent tests on 002, which have included flights at Mach numbers up to 1.35, have continued to be satisfactory. The basic estimate of development costs remains £730 million.
§ Mr. MartenThe Minister has mentioned £730 million. Will he in future go out of his way—I am sure that he 846 will when he can—to tell the public what is the British share of the Concorde costs, because, by showing the total overall costs, it is sometimes misleading to the uninitiated?
Mr. BeanYes. I am sorry if I did not give the hon. Gentleman the Answer that he would like. We have always given a total figure. The division between the French and ourselves is complex because, with devaluations one way and the other, there have been various amendments. However, I will write to the hon. Gentleman giving the exact figures.
§ Mr. SheldonWill my right hon. Friend tell us the next decision which will involve the allocation of money and when he anticipates it?
§ Mr. BennMoney is being spent on the basis of the existing programme. I shall be meeting the French Minister, M. Mondon, on 11th June, when we will consider the programme according to the stage that it has then reached. As the House knows, some of the orders for the production aircraft have had to be placed, but the major decision will depend on the orders.
§ Mr. OnslowWill the Minister confirm that we have now passed the stage where money spent from this point on is confidently expected to be recovered on sales if the aircraft proves to be the success that the manufacturers anticipate?
§ Mr. BennIt is difficult to forecast what the return will be until we know what the orders and the sales will be. There is bound to be some uncertainty about it. A substantial part of the estimated expenditure has already been spent.
§ Mr. EllisHow does my right hon. Friend see the programme now that it has gone a considerable way on the flight testing programme? Is his confidence still as great as ever? Have any technical innovations been drawn to his attention which may result in spending extra money to make it an even better aircraft?
§ Mr. BennThe flight tests have been successful. As they proceed the number of variables diminish and we get greater certainty. The aircraft is being modified, as is normal in a development programme. But, until we have converted 847 options for it into orders, it will not be possible to say that our problems are behind us.
§ Mr. NottThe Minister will be aware of the Order under the Civil Aviation Act which is to be debated tonight. As the Order removes the ability of individuals who could be harmed by the sonic booms of Concorde to receive compensation through the courts and makes the Minister judge and jury in his own case in this respect, will he assure me that he will be present tonight when the Order is debated and will he—
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. This Question is about Concorde costs.
§ Mr. CorfieldWill the right hon. Gentleman confirm whether he has been approached by the United States Government to slow down the Concorde programme and that he has refused? If so, I assure him that he has our full support.
§ Mr. BennI think that there is another Question on that matter. I was not approached, I did not refuse. If I had been approached. I would have refused. I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his support.