§ Mr. Laurance Reedasked the Minister of Aviation Supply what estimates his Department had made of the civil airliner requirements of western Europe in the 1970's and 1980's; and what proportion of their needs could be met by the British aircraft industry.
§ Mr. CorfieldWestern European requirements for civil aircraft are kept under continuous study within my Department, as are the requirements for the rest of the world; in this the Department acts in close consultation with the aircraft industry. Europe's requirements will be large, indeed perhaps exceeding present American requirements by 1980. One factor relevant to the size of the British aircraft industry in the future will be the extent to which it can collaborate successfully with the European industry.
§ Mr. Laurance Reedasked the Minister of Aviation Supply when, on the basis of information currently available to his Department, he expects a wholly British civil airliner will again be built.
§ Mr. CorfieldThe initiative for such a development lies with the industry. I am not aware of any firm proposal to build a new wholly British civil airliner, and believe it more likely that future large projects will have to be done in collaboration with other countries.