§ 63. Mr. Pardoeasked the Minister of Technology what information he has received from the French Government about supersonic flight tests of the Concorde over France, and about reaction from the local population.
§ Mr. CarmichaelConcorde has made 45 supersonic flights over France. Measurements show that the intensity of the sonic bang is very much as predicted. There has been little reaction against the flights by the French public.
§ 64. Mr. Pardoeasked the Minister of Technology what administrative machi- 218W nery he proposes to set up to receive and investigate complaints of injury or damage alleged to be caused by the Concorde test programme.
§ 90. Mr. Gibson-Wattasked the Minister of Technology whether he will make special arrangements to investigate complaints and to assess possible damage caused by the trial flights of Concorde over west Wales.
§ Mr. CarmichaelAny complaints arising from the tests should be addressed to the Concorde Division of the Department. Claims for compensation will be investigated on behalf of the Department by the Claims Commission of the Ministry of Defence.
§ 83. Mr. Hugh Jenkinsasked the Minister of Technology whether Concorde will be able to fly from London to New York without a refuelling stop.
§ Mr. Pardoeasked the Minister of Technology if he will arrange for Concorde to fly one trial run at supersonic speed before the beginning of the test programme; and if he will advertise the time of the flight in advance.
§ Mr. CarmichaelConcorde's sonic bang has already been experienced as a result of test flights over France. The bang was closely in line with what had been predicted. We consider therefore that there is no need for a trial run before testing starts.
§ Mr. Hugh Jenkinsasked the Minister of Technology (1) if he will now state how many Concordes require to be sold to recover research, development and production costs and to begin to make a profit;
(2) what relation the present estimated selling price of Concorde of £9 million each bears to the original estimate; what percentage of such a selling price would be profit; and how many aircraft he now estimates require to be sold to begin to show a profit on the project as a whole.
§ Mr. BennThe original selling price of about £3.5 million quoted in 1962 related to a smaller and substantially different aircraft from that now being 219W developed. The selling price, which is currently being reviewed, will include an element towards the costs of research and development. We have, however, accepted that a substantial part of these costs will not be recovered. The returns will depend on the selling price that can be obtained, and on the number of aircraft sold. I think it unwise to speculate about how large this number might be.
§ Mr. Hugh Jenkinsasked the Minister of Technology whether, having regard to the United States prohibition of supersonic flying and to the report of the United States Supersonic Transport review Committee, details of which have been sent to him, proposing the barring of Concorde from United States airports, he will now cancel the project.
§ Mr. BennNo. The report in question did not in any case make the proposal my hon. Friend suggests.
§ Mr. Hugh Jenkinsasked the Minister of Technology what level the research and development costs of Concorde are estimated to reach during the current year.
§ Mr. BennOut of the present joint basic development estimate of £730 million, it is estimated that about £500 million will have been spent by the end of 1970.