§ 117. Mr. Haleasked the Minister of Supply whether he is aware of the disquiet in Oldham and the Lancashire area consequent on the cessation of orders for machine tools and pattern blocks for the aircraft industry; and whether he will speed up his announcement of a programme of planned manufacture of civil aircraft.
§ Mr. Aubrey JonesI am aware that the current and inevitable decline in military aircraft production will affect many firms who carry out sub-contracts for the aircraft industry, but I am sure that they are doing their utmost to employ their surplus capacity in other fields.
Announcements on civil aircraft projects are made from time to time, by myself if they are Government projects, or by the firms if they are private ventures.