§ 2.46 p.m.
§ LORD TREFGARNEMy 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 whether they will secure that British Airways publish more detailed information than hitherto concerning their 914 forecast losses arising from the operation of Concorde.
§ THE MINISTER OF STATE, DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRY (LORD BESWICK)My Lords, my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Trade is discussing with the British Airways Board what more detailed information could be made available to Parliament about their forecasts of the effect on their profitability of introducing the Concorde services.
§ LORD TREFGARNEMy Lords, I am, as always, greatly obliged to the noble Lord for his reply. Will he and his right honourable friend bear in mind, in their discussions with British Airways, the unfortunate history in matters of this kind, particularly in relation to the VC10? Will his right honourable friend also bear in mind the powers he has under Section 40 of the 1971 Act and use those powers if it seems appropriate?
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, I certainly agree with the noble Lord that this is an area in which it is not wise to be unduly dogmatic about future forecasts, and history supports that view.
§ LORD HARVEY OF PRESTBURYMy Lords, will the noble Lord say whether the House will be informed by means of a Green Paper or a White Paper, or is there to be a debate on this very important matter in the near future?
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, the question of a debate could be a matter of discussion. So far as the nature of the further Statement is concerned, there is no decision about its form, but I assume that it will be a Statement somewhat similar to the original one, with additional detail.
§ LORD LLOYD OF KILGERRANMy Lords, may I ask whether the noble Lord remembers the distinguished speech made in this House by the noble Lord, Lord Kings Norton, who has great experience in these matters, when he referred to the advantages to British industry of what he called "spin-off" from Concorde? Will the noble Lord, Lord Beswick, be good enough to encourage British Airways, in addition to giving their direct forecast as to losses, to give even general information as to the advantages that would accrue to British industry from this project of Concorde?
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, I remember every speech that is made by the noble Lord, Lord Kings Norton, and I remember what I said following that particular speech. As the noble Lord himself may recall, I wholeheartedly agreed with what Lord Kings Norton had to say.