§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Prime Minister if it is the policy of Her Majesty's Government to encourage purchasers to buy British in relation to civil aircraft 440W procurement; if Her Majesty's Government will take steps to support a "Buy British" campaign in this field; and if she will make a statement.
§ The Prime MinisterA "Buy British" campaign which implied Government interference in the procurement decisions of British airlines would be contrary to the United Kingdom's GATT obligations. But the Government naturally hope that British airlines will give the most serious consideration to aircraft manufactured wholly or partly in the United Kingdom whenever these aircraft can meet their identified commercial needs and are competitive in terms of price and technical performance.