§ 2.37 p.m.
§ THE EARL OF KINNOULLMy 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 serious consideration is being given to the concept of setting up an international Concorde service.
§ THE MINISTER OF STATE, DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRY (LORD BESW1CK)My Lords, up to the present time orders for Concorde have been placed by British Airways and Air France. Their intention is to bring a Concorde service into operation at the earliest possible date. No other airline has yet placed orders for Concorde, but obviously we welcome any interest shown by foreign airlines in acquiring Concorde and would consider carefully any proposals whereby they might be associated in some way with Concorde operations.
§ THE EARL OF KINNOULLMy Lords, while thanking the noble Lord, 4 Lord Beswick, for that reply, may I ask whether he can say what stage Concorde has reached now in type certification? Can he further say how soon the Government expect Concorde to come into service?
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, the anticipated date was April, 1976, but it is just possible that that date may be brought forward. With regard to type certification, the tests seem to be going very well. It is of some interest that the Civil Aviation Authority, who are responsible for the type certification, have said that as a result of their tests,
Concorde is unequivocally the nicest flying aeroplane that we have ever seen in normal operation",which seems to be quite a considerable tribute.
§ LORD HARVEY OF PRESTBURYMy Lords, is the noble Lord aware that since he referred to this matter last week, a Concorde flown by a French crew, starting in Paris, has flown the Shah of Iran back to Teheran? When are the British Government to get involved in this major and important contract? Week after week goes by and we seem to be losing out on it.
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, the noble Lord has made this point before. Surely, it is most natural that, if the Shah of Iran visits Paris and flies back from Paris, the crew should be French. That seems to be quite reasonable. As a matter of fact, the operation to Boston and back the other day was undertaken by a British crew. An order by Iran for Concorde, when signed, will be a British operation.
§ LORD SLATERMy Lords, is my noble friend aware that, in view of the number of statements that have been made with regard to Concorde, it will probably be obsolete so far as Her Majesty's Government are concerned? His reply seems to indicate to the House that such is not correct, and that the attitude of Her Majesty' Government is to proceed, alongside our French counterparts, with this major project. Is that correct?
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, everyone makes their own estimate or guess. I am only dealing with facts.
§ THE EARL OF KINNOULLMy Lords, can the noble Lord advise the House on the timing of our discussions with our French partners?
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, no date has yet been fixed. I should think that it will be in a matter of the next two or three weeks, possibly the middle of July.
§ LORD BROCKWAYMy Lords, can the Minister say for how long the negotiations with Iran are likely to go on?
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, they have been going on for a long time now, and, of course, there are many details to be settled. It is just possible that there may be some conclusion by the autumn.
§ LORD GORE-BOOTHMy Lords, without asking the Minister anything which would be difficult for him to answer, or getting into the controversy about whether the French or the British are doing this or that, may I ask him whether he would agree that if we can go ahead soon this will be a most welcome confirmation of longer-term Anglo-French co-operation in industrial matters, which was so difficult to arrange in de Gaulle's time?
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, I quite agree with the noble Lord that it would be an absolutely wonderful example of constructive co-operation between two allies.