§ 23. Mr. Adleyasked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement on the recent hearing in Washington concerning landing rights of Concorde in the United States; and if he will give an assurance that the activities of Her Majesty's Government will be coordinated with the Government of France.
§ Mr. KaufmanThe United States Secretary of Transportation, Mr. William Coleman, chaired a public hearing in Washington on 5th January to consider Concorde's proposed access to the international airports of New York and Washington. The hearing was conducted in a fair and full way and our case is a strong one. Evidence presented to the hearing included a joint submission of oral and written evidence from the British and French Governments, and from the airlines and manufacturers in the two countries. We intend that this close cooperation will continue in the future.
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§ 30. Mr. Michael McNair-Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement about production of the Concorde.
§ Mr. KaufmanThe production programme is well advanced and the first deliveries to airlines have now been made. Aircraft 206 was handed over to British Airways on 14th January and undertook the inaugural flight to Bahrein on 21st January. Aircraft 204 is due to be handed over by mid-February. Two further Concordes will be made available later in the year and the remaining aircraft of the five ordered by British Airways is expected to be delivered to them early in 1977. Air France has likewise taken delivery of its first aircraft from the French production line, and expects to take delivery later this year of the remaining three Concordes it has on order.