HL Deb 11 July 1956 vol 198 cc846-9
VISCOUNT THURSO

My Lords, I beg to ask the Second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Transport Aircraft Requirements Committee was responsible for preparing the outline specification for an aircraft for B.O.A.C. long-range routes in the 1964–66 era; how often it met in 1955 and how often during the current year.]

THE EARL OF SELKIRK

My Lords, the outline specification to which I referred in answering the last Question was issued by the Ministry of Supply but was prepared under the ægis of the Transport Aircraft Requirements Committee. The Airways Corporations are, of course, members of this Committee, and their technical staff worked in close association with the technical staff of the Department in the preparation of the details of this outline specification. The Committee met twice in the course of 1955 and has held one meeting during the current year.

VISCOUNT THURSO

My Lords, in view of the immense importance of the work on which it is engaged and the high hopes which Her Majesty's Government have invited us to pin to the work of this Committee for the production of an aircraft which will be a lap ahead of the Americans in the vital first part of the 1960s, would it not be desirable for this Committee to meet more often? Your Lordships will remember that in a recent debate the noble Lord, Lord Douglas of Kirtleside, told us that although he was a member of the Committee, he had only once been summoned to its meetings.

THE EARL OF SELKIRK

My Lords, the Transport Aircraft Requirements Committee meet to consider major matters of policy, on which they give advice to the Minister, but a great deal of the work is done by technical sub-committees and by technical members, both of the Department and of the Corporations, on whom this work more appropriately falls. That work is going on, whereas, of course, the Transport Aircraft Requirements Committee meet only to advise on major matters.

VISCOUNT THURSO

My Lords, may I put one further question to the noble Earl? He will realise that after the high hopes which we all attached to the splendid Comet, which flew with such astonishing success and world-wide acclaim for several months on scheduled air routes, we all suffered a tragic disappointment owing, to the accidents which occurred to that aircraft. There is in my mind, and I believe in the minds of other noble Lords, an impression that there is not the same impulse, the same concentrated effort and drive, being put behind the construction of a new aircraft which will be as far ahead of its contemporaries in the early part of the 1960s as the Comet was of its contemporary aircraft. Could the noble Earl give us some indication, some assurance, that Her Majesty's Government are putting all possible drive and all the required resources, in brains, labour and capital, behind the project of producing this new civil air liner for the early 1960s?

THE EARL OF SELKIRK

My Lords, I fully appreciate what the noble Viscount has said. We attach tremendous importance to the successful results which may or may not come from this Committee's recommendations or con-considerations. I assure the noble Viscount that a tremendous body of brain and effort is being put into this matter which certainly cannot be judged simply by the meetings of the Committee to which reference has been made. I think it would be misleading to give the idea that that is anything more than the final point at which decisions on major matters are made. The work lies underneath. The noble Viscount may rest assured that we realise the tremendous importance of the matter he has raised.

LORD WINSTER

My Lords, may I ask the noble Earl this question? Is it not the case that high hopes were built upon the Comet and that the idea behind the Comet was that we should do what I will call briefly a "leap-frog"? And is it not the case that those high hopes have been dashed; that the leap-frog has failed; that it is now hopeless to try to catch up, and that our one hope of attaining priority in the world of civil aviation now rests upon our doing another leap-frog by concentrating the efforts of our aircraft industry on producing a supersonic airliner?

THE EARL OF SELKIRK

My Lords, I agree entirely with what the noble Lord has said about seeking to do a leap-frog. I would not care to comment, however, on the second part of his question, which raises immense technical problems, as I think he appreciates. But I can assure him that these matters are clearly before the minds of those who have to consider them. What he said, I am sure, will fortify them, in the knowledge that he himself is so interested.

VISCOUNT THURSO

My Lords, may I ask one further question? Projects have been largely canvassed in the newspapers and in knowledgeable articles for the modification of the Comet IV in such a way as to enable it to do the Transatlantic flight—that is from Idle-wild to Heath Row—in one hop. Can the noble Earl tell us whether such a project has had further consideration and whether modifications of the Britannia are also under consideration by this Transport Aircraft Requirements Committee?

THE EARL OF SELKIRK

I can tell the noble Viscount that that project has been considered. I would not go further than that at present. I would rather not say anything about the details of the projects which are being examined.

LORD WINSTER

My Lords, I do not want to press the noble Earl further, but may I ask whether he is aware that in putting the question which I put to him just now I did so with complete confidence in our aircraft industry, in the engineers and in the designing staff? What I am asking is—and I am sure the noble Earl will assure me that this is the case—whether everything the Government can do will be put behind our aircraft industry in endeavouring to perform what I have roughly described as a leap-frog.

THE EARL OF SELKIRK

My Lords, I can assure the noble Lord that the Government will support this strongly. The noble Lord has spoken of putting "everything" behind it, and I have to say that there is a slight modification to "everything". I can assure him, however, that there is very real support for those concerned in this matter, which, may I point out, may run into millions in a single development contract. It is not a matter which can be entered into lightly. It will he entered into with the fullest possible consideration and with the best brains that we have available.

LORD WINSTER

I beg to thank the noble Earl for his reassuring reply.