HC Deb 16 April 1973 vol 855 cc20-1
16. Mr. Warren

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will investigate and report on the extent to which national Governments in the Common Market require their industries to collaborate with a United Kingdom company before giving new industrial projects official support.

Mr. Chataway

I am not persuaded that a general investigation of the kind suggested would be worth while.

Mr. Warren

I am sorry that my right hon. Friend makes that reply, bearing in mind that it is the policy of many parts of his Department to require such collaboration in British industry and British companies. Would it not be a good idea if he were to go into this matter more deeply to find out what the other Common Market countries are doing—which, I suggest, is nothing? If British industry is to bear this burden on its competitive capability it would be useful for my right hon. Friend to consider harmonising his views with those of other Common Market countries which allow their industries full competitive rein.

Mr. Chataway

We favour cross-frontier collaboration, especially in highly technological industries, which, as my hon. Friend will know, is also the view of a number of other European countries. But it would not make sense to launch an investigation of the kind suggested by my hon. Friend across the board because the situation plainly differs from industry to industry and project to project.

Mr. Mason

Is not the Minister aware that there is a serious dearth of aircraft projects in this country? One of the reasons for that is that the Government have changed their policy and are not prepared to give research and development money to any aircraft industry in Britain to produce its own project unless it agrees to collaborate with a European country. Is that true?

Mr. Chataway

My hon. Friend the Minister for Aerospace and Shipping is at present studying Hawker Siddeley's request for launching aid for the HS146, and the European implications of that are among the factors which he will be taking into account. I believe that he hopes to make a statement on the matter fairly shortly.

Mr. Mason

Will a determining factor be that there should be collaboration in not only aircraft projects but other industrial projects?

Mr. Chataway

No. That is simply one among a number of factors which must be taken into account when making decisions such as this.