HC Deb 23 October 1972 vol 843 c786
43. Mr. Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions his Department has now had with the Hawker Siddeley company on the development and potential of the A300B Airbus.

Mr. Emery

There are regular contacts between my Department and the company on this and other aircraft projects on which it is engaged.

Mr. Winterton

I thank my hon. Friend for his answer, but is he aware that Hawker Siddeley is, perhaps, the only aero-manufacturing company in this country which works at a profit? Does he not feel that the company has been starved of Government contracts and that they have gone, perhaps ill-advisedly, to other areas?

Mr. Emery

The Government would certainly pay tribute to Hawker-Siddeley for all that it does in the aircraft industry, and I gladly do that. However, we have received no request for Government assistance towards any further development of the A300B airbus.