§ 2.55 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 what is the current financial support programme for the further development and progress of the hovercraft industry and how does this compare with research and development programmes in the U.S.A., Japan and France.
§ THE MINISTER OF STATE, DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRY (LORD BESWICK)My Lords, in March, 1972, it was announced that further contracts worth £1.5 million would be placed with the industry over the following two years for the development and improvement of existing craft and that an additional £500,000 would be spent intramurally. It 1118 was made clear that at the end of the period it was expected that the industry should be entirely self-supporting. These contracts are now coming to an end. I understand that there is no similar programme of assistance for civil hovercraft in the U.S.A. I do not have information about Japan and France.
§ THE EARL OF KINNOULLMy Lords, while thanking the noble Lord for that minimal but somewhat familiar Government reply, may I ask him whether indeed there is still a hovercraft directorate within the Ministry with which the industry can consult? May I ask further whether the N.R.D.C. are the official Government body for technical advice as to whether or not the project should be supported?
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, there is not a directorate as such, but there are officials who are interested in this with whom I should be happy to arrange a meeting if it would be useful. So far as the N.R.D.C. are concerned, any proposals made to them for development aid would be considered if those proposals were properly presented. In addition, it is possible that my Department may be able to help under the Industry Act. But so far as I have been able to make out, no proposals have been put forward.
§ THE EARL OF KINNOULLMy Lords, is the noble Lord aware that there is a great deal of concern that the British technological lead in this British invention is now rapidly becoming eroded, first by the fact that research and development teams at home are being disbanded; secondly, by the fact that there is development abroad of a sizeable nature; and thirdly, by the fact that the natural life of the patents which have so far protected this invention are shortly to come to an end? Would the Government reconsider whether a fresh programme of support could perhaps be based on a joint company project or, indeed, an international project?
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, it is not feasible to agree or disagree with any proposal over the Floor of the House; but if a proposal is being put to my Department, it would be considered. If research and development assistance was required, then there is the Shipping and 1119 Marine Technology Requirements Board which is there for the purpose of considering applications of this kind. The noble Earl, Lord Kinnoull, might like to consider that.
§ LORD WYNNE-JONESMy Lords, does the Answer which my noble friend has given mean that the hovercraft industry in this country has virtually packed up? It seems an astonishing thing if this is so. My noble friend and the House will be aware that I never had much enthusiasm about hovercraft, but surely it is important to know—and my noble friend perhaps can tell us—whether it is the fact the hovercraft industry now really has died in this country.
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, I am at a loss to understand how the noble Lord, Lord Wynne-Jones, can construe my original Answer as being an indication that the industry had packed up. I said that money which had been given by the previous Administration to this industry has now come to an end, because it is believed that the industry might now go ahead on its own. Far from packing up, I understand that of those vessels which are operating, SRN6 is going very well and SRN4 is gaining popularity over the Channel. I think it would be wrong for anyone on either side of the House to talk down this industry.
§ LORD KINGS NORTONMy Lords, would the Minister agree that the figures he gave do not include work which is being done on the linear motor, which is such an intimate part of hovertrain development?
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, I think I am right in saying that the project in which my noble friend has taken such a keen interest is separate from what I am talking about here.
§ LORD TREFGARNEMy Lords, could the noble Lord say whether there is any military requirement for hovercraft, and whether there is any likelihood of a military contract for such a vehicle?
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, there have been contracts, but my understanding is that the military application for hovercraft, in Europe for example, is very limited, and that that requirement is not now seen.
§ LORD KINGS NORTONMy Lords, would the Minister agree that hovertrain developments are an essential part of the hovercraft industry, and that the enthusiasm for this kind of transport is far greater on the Continent than here? Furthermore, is he aware that in France there is an 18 kilometre track on which hover vehicles travel at 264 m.p.h., while in this country, with a superior system, we have one mile of track which is in danger of being dismantled?
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, I am not sure that I shall not get into some difficulty with the noble Lord over terminology. What he is referring to, the linear motor, could certainly be called a hover vehicle; but I have in mind a hover vehicle such as I understood the noble Earl, Lord Kinnoull had in mind.