§ 61 and 62. Mr. Doddsasked the Secretary of State for War (1) in what way the 8W 67 fork-lift trucks purchased from the United States of America meet the special and limited requirements of the Army that were not met by any fork-lift truck produced in Great Britain;
(2) what was done to ascertain from United Kingdom manufacturers whether they could produce fork-lift trucks to meet the special and limited requirements of the Army; and what were the results.
§ Mr. ProfumoRecent operational experience demonstrated a requirement for a fork-lift truck with certain specific characteristics. Among these it had to be air portable and therefore of acceptable weight. In addition it was required to have a good cross-country capability in bad going. No British firm had a machine possessing all the necessary requirements in production at the time. The Army needed early delivery and an American machine was in production which entirely met the Army's requirements.