§ 14. Mr. Hugh Jenkinsasked the Minister of Technology whether, having regard to the criticism of the Committee of Public Accounts on his failure to keep Parliament fully informed about the escalation of the cost of Concorde from £150 million to £730 million, he will now provide an opportunity for the House to consider whether the project should be abandoned.
§ Mr. BennThe House will have an opportunity to discuss Concorde when the Treasury Minute on the Public Accounts Committee's First, Second and Third Reports is debated.
§ Mr. Hugh Jenkinsasked the Minister of Technology whether he has studied the conclusion of the cost-benefit analysis of Concorde by Mr. C. B. Edwards of the University of East Anglia on the overall loss to the economy of the Concorde project, a copy of which has been sent to him; and if he will cancel the project and write off the expenditure to date so as to avoid the heavier expenditure of going into production.
§ Mr. BennYes. I have myself made it clear that only part of the research and development cost of Concorde will be recovered. There are, however, other factors which have to be taken into account. We shall continue to keep the project under review in the light of costs and commercial prospects.