HC Deb 21 April 1993 vol 223 cc315-7
12. Mr. Hanson

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to meet the Society of British Aerospace Companies to discuss future prospects for the industry; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Sainsbury

My right hon. Friend has no current plans to meet the Society of British Aerospace Companies, but my Department keeps in close touch with the society and its member companies. Two weeks ago I led a SBAC mission which discussed United Kingdom export opportunities with the Boeing company in Seattle.

Mr. Hanson

Is the Minister aware that even as we speak there is a lobby of the House by aerospace workers who are seeking to stop the haemorrhage of jobs—50,000 in the past few years, including many in my own constituency in north Wales? Will the Minister take action on the aerospace industry and today publish the report by his own aviation committee which is critical of the Government's policy? Will he act upon its recommendations and give the House an assurance that he will undertake to accept the recommendations of the Trade and Industry Select Committee which is meeting today?

Mr. Sainsbury

The hon. Gentleman is, I hope, aware that the aerospace industry world wide is suffering both from the welcome reduction in defence orders, and the recession in the airline industry which has obviously reduced the number of orders that the industry has to satisfy. The industry receives a great deal of Government support and will continue to do so.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

Does my right hon. Friend accept that the British aerospace industry, particularly British Aerospace itself, is one of Britain's largest exporters and has an outstanding record of achievement? Will he ensure that British Aerospace, particularly the regional jet division which is located on the periphery of my constituency, always receives sympathetic consideration from the Department in respect of launch aid for new projects and the research and development which is so essential to the success of the industry?

Mr. Sainsbury

I am very happy to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the export success of British Aerospace and the British aerospace industry in general. As my hon. Friend will know, since 1979 that industry has received considerable support from the Government—no less than £1.5 billion. As I said in my earlier reply, it will continue to receive support.

Mr. Barry Jones

May I tell the right hon. Gentleman of the devastating loss of 269 British Aerospace jobs in my constituency at the Broughton works, and of the amazement of the work force who have learnt that nearly 100 of those jobs are to be directly exported to the constituency of President Clinton at Little Rock? Will he intervene? Will he receive the petition that I have today received from a lobby of my constituents, who are angry and disappointed and who look to the Government to give them help?

Mr. Sainsbury

I am sure that the hon. Gentleman will be aware that decisions on its corporate jet business are clearly commercial matters for the company. It must make the decisions as it sees fit in the best interests of the business. The hon. Gentleman will be assured to know that the company has said that it has no intention of closing down the Chester or Broughton production facilities.

Mr. Ian Bruce

Has my right hon. Friend received any representations from the Society of British Aerospace Companies about the European Community Konver programme? Has he yet had a chance to look at the strange classification of the areas that should be helped by the European Community? That classification seems to exclude counties such as Dorset and the travel-to-work area of Weymouth and Portland, which has a 43 per cent. defence dependency and which clearly should be helped by any money that comes from this programme.

Mr. Sainsbury

I have not received any representations on that point from the SBAC, but if I do, I will be happy to look at them. I share some of my hon. Friend's concerns about the proposals emerging under the Konver programme—especially for the reasons that he has advanced: it does not seem to direct enough support to the areas that would most deserve it.