HL Deb 09 May 1963 vol 249 cc849-50

3.5 p.m.

LORD SOMERS

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

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government the reason for their purchase of American fork-lift trucks, rather than British, when the latter were available, as announced in the Daily Mail of April 24.]

THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (LORD CARRINGTON)

My Lords, operational experience showed that the Army had an urgent need for an air-transportable fork-lift truck of a cross-country type with four-wheel drive to operate over soft ground. No suitable British machine was available, and it was therefore necessary to buy from American sources a truck which met the Army's requirements. The American machines were partly manufactured and assembled in this country.

LORD SOMERS

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for his Answer. Could he just confirm that the statement in the Daily Mail, that the British firm had stated that they could have supplied suitable trucks within a fortnight or so, was without foundation?

LORD CARRINGTON

My Lords, the British firm bad two machines available. One of them weighed 16,000 lb., which meant it was not air-transportable—the maximum weight for an air-transportable machine was 9,000 lb.— and the other machine was not a cross-country type.

THE EARL OF GOSFORD

My Lords, may I ask my noble friend why this purchase was not put out to tender? I understand this was not so.

LORD CARRINGTON

Because there was an urgent operational requirement; there was a hurry to get these machines, and it would have taken time to manufacture them.

THE EARL OF GOSFORD

May I further ask my noble friend whether the firms which make this sort of equipment in this country were circularised first so that they were given a chance to say "Yes" or "No" as to whether it was available?

LORD CARRINGTON

No, my Lords. I think my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for War was satisfied in these circumstances that there was no point in inviting tenders, because the products of British manufacturers of forklift trucks are, of course, very familiar to the War Office.

LORD SHACKLETON

My Lords, could the noble Lord tell us when this operational requirement was raised? Could he not answer the obvious anxiety that this seems to be a very sudden thought, and are we going to have other sudden thoughts of this kind?

LORD CARRINGTON

My Lords, I should have thought that if operational experience showed we needed certain equipment which we did not have, it was to the credit of the War Office that they went ahead and got it.

EARL ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGH

My Lords, are all vehicles of this kind fitted with rear hydraulic lifts?

LORD CARRINGTON

I am afraid I must have notice of that question. I could not answer that "off the cuff".

EARL ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGH

Any farmer could answer this.

LORD CARRINGTON

He could not answer whether or not the Army had it.

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