§ LORD MERRIVALEMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what assistance is given by our diplomatic representatives and attachés abroad; whether they consider that adequate steps are being taken to ensure an appropriate exchange of information; and whether they consider that any action could be taken towards a greater degree of liaison between potential overseas buyers and manufacturers, with a view to facilitating the obtainment of export orders for the British aircraft industry]
§ THE MARQUESS OF LANSDOWNEMy Lords, the aircraft manufacturers receive the assistance available to all exporters from our diplomatic and commercial officers, trade commissioners and information officers in overseas posts. They are also helped by the Air Attachés, particularly where sales to Governments are concerned. Market information and other advice is provided to the industry by the Export Services Branch of the Board of Trade and by the Ministry of Supply. As the noble Lord is aware, the aircraft manufacturers have their own agents in most of the countries in the 1126 world. I should like to take this opportunity of complimenting our British manufacturers on their successful sales efforts. I would remind your Lordships that in 1958 the value of exports of British aircraft and components reached the record total of about £150 million. I am satisfied that the Government machinery for ensuring the liaison and exchange of information to which the noble Lord refers is of a very high order. As a country which lives by trade we naturally keep this machinery constantly under review.
§ LORD MERRIVALEMy Lords, I am most grateful to the noble Marquess for his reply, but I should like to ask whether he does not consider it possible, especially with regard to the South American and Continental countries, that further efforts could be made on the part of our diplomatic representatives abroad, particularly on the commercial aircraft side? I would also ask whether he does not think it highly important that aircraft operators should know exactly what we have to offer, and highly important that our aircraft industry should know what the requirements of the aircraft operators abroad are?
§ THE MARQUESS OF LANSDOWNEMy Lords, I tried to answer that point in my original reply. I have some personal experience of our efforts to sell aircraft in South America, and I am quite satisfied that great and effective efforts are, in fact, being made. I do not think that at the moment there are any particular flaws in our machinery which require adjustment; but, as I said in my original reply, this is a matter which is constantly under review, and everything is done to ensure that the foreign markets are aware both of what we have to offer and of the quality we have to offer. I do not think we are losing markets through lack of effort.
§ LORD OGMOREMy Lords, is it not a fact that although in the past there has been a substantial volume of sales of aircraft in overseas countries, at the moment the order books of the various aircraft manufacturing companies are by no means full? In view of the happy experience of the Prime Minister in persuading Mr. Nehru to buy Avros, will the Government not leave it to commercial attachés but will Ministers also try to sell aircraft to their opposite numbers in foreign countries?
§ THE MARQUESS OF LANSDOWNEAs the noble Lord is aware, we have representation throughout the Commonwealth as a whole. I do not think that we are in any way lacking in this respect. I think we are thoroughly alive to the situation, both on a Governmental and on an industrial level.