§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Minister of Technology what are the experience and qualifications of the project director of the Anglo-French variable geometry project.
§ Mr. StonehouseThe project director has been involved in aircraft research and development since entering the Government service in 1942. His academic qualifications include a Doctor of Science degree. Much of his career has been at the Royal Aircraft Establishment. He has also had three years experience with the British Joint Services Mission in Washington, D.C., U.S.A., and is fully conversant with American as well as 61W European aircraft development procedures. He attended the 1964 course at the Imperial Defence College. In 1965 he was responsible for setting up the new Project Time and Cost Analysis section in the Department. He held a pilot's licence for several years.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Minister of Technology if he will set out a table in the OFFICIAL REPORT stating the number, grade, and relevant qualifications of members of the branch of his Department in which is centralised the technical and financial responsibility for estimating and control of the Anglo-French variable geometry project; and how many members of the branch are engaged full-time on the Anglo-French variable geometry project.
Mr. StonehonseThe project team comprises:
No. Grade Function 1 Project Director (Deputy Chief Scientific Officer) General leadership of the project team. 1 Assistant Director (Senior Principal Scientific Officer) Scientific, technological and operational supervision and co-ordination of the project. 1 Principal Scientific Officer 2 Serving Officers on secondment from the R.A.F. 1 Principal Administrative and financial duties. 1 Assistant Principal 2 Higher Executive Officers 3 Executive Officers 6 Supporting clerical staff 1 Assistant Director of Contracts Contract services for the project team. 1 Senior Executive officer 1 Executive Officer With the exception of the Assistant Director and his technical staff, these officers are also responsible for the Anglo-French Jaguar Project, on which many of the problems of joint project management are similar, particularly in the areas of administration, finance and contracts.
The project team also has the assistance of the senior officers of my Department and of many specialists in other branches. As the project develops, many of the latter will become fully engaged on it. For example, there is already a Principal Scientific Officer full-time on the engine.
62WAll the staff in the project team have experience of all aspects of military aircraft development and most of them of collaborative projects. The further staff becoming involved in the more specialist aspects of the project will add their own expertise from their own fields.