HL Deb 24 October 1968 vol 296 cc1541-3
THE EARL OF KINNOULL

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

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they can make any further statement on the progress of the British V.G. Aircraft Project.]

LORD SHACKLETON

My Lords, discussions are still going on between the United Kingdom and a number of her NATO allies about the possibility of collaborating on a new multi-role combat aircraft. Some of the solutions which are being considered would make use of swing-wing technology.

THE EARL OF KINNOULL

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for his reply. In view of the recent announcement that the French company, Dassault, are now going to collaborate in a joint V.G. project with an American company to compete with any joint British V.G. project for future NATO military requirement, may I ask how much longer the Government consider they have to make a final decision on a British project, without endangering its future?

LORD SHACKLETON

My Lords, I am not sure that I quite got the noble Earl's point. There are safeguards in the consortium arrangement designed to prevent industrial information from being passed to non-participatory Governments. I think the noble Earl also referred to the agreement between Dassault and Ling-Temco-Vought. There certainly is, I understand, agreement for the exchange of "know-how", although there is no agreement, so far as I know, to develop an actual aircraft, and I do not quite know what will come of that. There is always, of course, a certain risk in collaboration, but there are also advantages to be gained. The noble Earl asked me how long we should wait. I do not think I can speculate. The initial memorandum of understanding was signed by the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands and Italy on July 17, and Canada and Belgium are also considering whether or not to sign. The negotiations are still going on.

LORD MERRIVALE

My Lord, can the noble Lord say to what extent the recent ordering by France of the prototype swing-wing Dassault G.4 aircraft is contrary to any agreement reached previously between the French Minister of Defence, M. Messmer, and the British Minister of Defence, Mr. Healey, regarding the past joint variable geometry aircraft project?

LORD SHACKLETON

My Lord, the noble Lord always impresses me by the thoroughness of his research. That really is another question. It would be unlikely that there was any breach of agreement or I think we should have heard of it; but I will look further into it.

LORD MERRIVALE

My Lards, would the noble Lord not agree that here is a relationship between the two, and that the Daily Telegraph published a very interesting article on this subject? Would it not be interesting to the House to find out whether the French have, in effect, broken down in any way on the agreements previously reached between our two countries in regard to the point project?

LORD SHACKLETON

My Lords. the more the noble Lord goes on, the more dangerous I think it would be for me to agree with anything he said.