§ Q3. Mrs. Haymanasked the Prime Minister if he will pay an official visit to Hatfield.
§ Mr. Edward ShortI have been asked to reply.
My right hon. Friend has at present no plans to do so, Sir.
§ Mrs. HaymanIs my right hon. Friend aware that were the Prime Minister, he, or indeed anyone, to visit Hatfield he would learn to appreciate how dependent that part of my constituency is on the aerospace industry? Is he aware of the damage caused to that industry, on the civil side, by the threat to the HS146 and, on the missile side, by the threat to the 2046 USGW? Will he confirm that the Government do not intend to commit the folly of buying American weapons for the Navy and cancelling this valuable British project?
§ Mr. ShortWith regard to the USGW, no decision has yet been taken on how to meet the obvious requirement for an underwater-to-surface guided weapon. A great many factors have to be taken into consideration, including operational performance, cost, foreign exchange expenditure and the need to avoid unnecessary duplication of equipment within the alliance. I repeat that no decision has yet been taken on how to meet this requirement.
§ Mr. PattieDoes the Lord President accept that the uncertainty in the aerospace industry, to which the hon. Member for Welwyn and Hatfield (Mrs. Hayman) often refers, would be ended if the Government dropped their plans for nationalising that industry?
§ Mr. ShortTo end the uncertainty, may I make clear that we think that the Bill will have its Second Reading in November.