HC Deb 03 February 1975 vol 885 c384W
34. Mr. Hastings

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many design teams he estimates exist in the Western world, excluding the United States of America, which are capable of designing a complete civil airliner.

Mr. Meacher

I understand that in the Western world, outside the United States, there are seven major firms with design teams capable of undertaking complete aircraft with 50 seats or more and about twice this number capable of undertaking smaller aircraft or parts of large aircraft.