§ 10. Mr. Tebbitasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he has yet authorised expenditure upon further instrument landing systems for Royal Air Force airfields.
§ Dr. GilbertNo decision has been taken yet on the procurement of further instrument landing systems for the Royal Air Force, but expenditure has been authorised on site surveys for such systems.
§ Mr. TebbitIn view of the size of the probable order and the experience of the Royal Air Force with the existing equipment, does not the Minister agree that before a contract is placed a proper specification should be drawn up on the basis of which companies should then submit their proposals? Does he agree that any new procurement on this scale should be on the basis of an open contest and not a single tender operation?
§ Dr. GilbertI am obliged to the hon. Gentleman for that question. I am well aware of his interest in the matter, which he has always been good enough to disclose.
§ Mr. TebbitOn a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I have no financial interest in this matter, and I hope that I have never disclosed one.
§ Dr. GilbertI did not say that. If the hon. Gentleman thought that I was imputing that, of course I withdraw my remark.
The hon. Gentleman is right. There is a further requirement for many more sets than are at present in operation. As I understand it, the Royal Air Force is very happy with the sets that it has already. One must always consider—I refer now to the second part of the hon. Gentleman's question—whether there should be an open competition, should one be so satisfied with the equipment in service that one thinks that it would be wasting people's time to invite them to tender. However, I have no difficulty whatever in accepting the first part of the hon. Gentleman's question.