Skybolt
28.
asked the Minister of Aviation if he will make a statement about the progress of Skybolt.
No, Sir. I have already said that progress is satisfactory and I consider that the giving of further information could in no way serve the public interest.
Does the Minister still feel as confident about this weapon as the Minister of Defence said he was some time ago?
I am certainly as confident as my right hon. Friend the Minister of Defence, but I think that on the whole we volunteer too much information about our future weapons.
Are we not entitled to know as much as is reasonably satisfactory having regard to security? Can the Minister say whether the aeroplanes themselves are available to take these missiles?
Certainly as much as is consistent with security, but potential enemies do not volunteer such information to us and the House should be a little chary of volunteering it to others.
Will my right hon. Friend agree that the President of the United States has at least shown his confidence in Skybolt by increasing the amount of money allocated to this weapon?
Yes, Sir.
Will the right hon. Gentleman look at the OFFICIAL REPORT, where he will be able to read some of the statements made by the present Minister of Defence and by his right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Air, both of whom on repeated occasions in the House have declared that Skybolt would be ready in the course of a few years? Is he aware that, as I believe, one right hon. Gentleman said it would be ready in 1963?
Yes, Sir. I certainly do not propose to add to them.
London Airport (Car Park)
29.
asked the Minister of Aviation whether tenders have now been invited for the design and construction of a multi-storey car park in the Central Terminal at London Airport.
The preliminary specification is now available and firms interested in this type of project have been invited by advertisement to apply for information. It is hoped to invite tenders in June.
Whilst thanking my right hon. Friend for that helpful and interesting reply, may I ask whether he will say what special plans have been made to deal with the undoubtedly very heavy traffic that we shall have in the course of the summer and when he thinks this additional car parking space will be available?
I think that additional space from this garage may begin to be available late in 1962 and the garage will be built by 1963. I expect that we shall have enough car parking space during the coming summer, but we expect a heavy increase in traffic and I am sure that it is right to make this provision.
Abbotsinch Airport
31.
asked the Minister of Aviation how many of the parties concerned with the facilities to be provided at Abbotsinch Airport and its design have been consulted so far; and how many are still to be consulted.
Preliminary consultations with the principal users have been completed.
Can the hon. Gentleman say whether B.E.A., which will be a principal user, has been consulted? Is it the case that B.E.A. wants terminal buildings which will match the needs of aircraft passengers in the age in which we are travelling? Is it the case that the Minister is resisting its proposals and is determined to create a cemented skeleton similar to the present structure at Renfrew Airport?
We have certainly consulted B.E.A. and there is no divergence of interest between us.
Surely the hon. Gentleman can answer the simple question I put to him. Is there agreement between the Ministry and B.E.A. on the kind of terminal building that is to be created?
We have been having preliminary discussions and next week we shall have discussions with the architects. There may be points of detail which may arise thereafter. All I am saying is that everything is going according to plan.
Aircraft Accidents (Survey)
32.
asked the Minister of Aviation what was the reason for the delay in publication of the Survey of the Accidents to Aircraft of the United Kingdom in 1958.
The delay was due to pressure of more urgent work. Future surveys will be published more promptly.
Will not the hon. Gentleman tell us what was the nature of the urgent work that prevented the publication of this survey at an appropriate time? Is it not the case that a survey is undertaken so that we may learn something from it that will prevent accidents? Was it not rather unfortunate that, when in 1958 notifiable and fatal accidents were higher in number than ever before, it should have taken two years to get a survey into circulation?
The more urgent work is the preventive and remedial work which follows the accident. The statistical work is done by the same staff, and that has accounted for the delay in the publication of the survey. The staff position has now improved. We hope that the 1959 survey will be available at the end of this month; the 1960 survey should be available before the end of the year.
Blue Streak
33 and 34.
asked the Minister of Aviation (1) what has been the total expenditure to date on the development of the Blue Streak missile since the decision to discontinue the project as a military weapon on 13th April, 1960;
(2) what progress has been made towards using the Blue Streak missile as a launcher for space research purposes; and when he expects the talks to be concluded on European and Commonwealth participation in this project.The cost of keeping the launcher in being is about £3¼ million to the end of April. We have progressed to the stage that last week two static firings of the complete rocket were successfully carried out. I hope that answers from the countries concerned to the Anglo-French proposals will be received soon.
We were told almost a year ago that the project was not for military purposes only and that a decision would be reached within two months. We are now well over thirteen months from that time. May I ask when we can expect the Minister to get down to business and how long this enormous rate of public expenditure will continue? Can the right hon. Gentleman also say on precisely what projects it is being spent?
It is being spent in bringing the launcher up to the point at which the whole integrated system of motors, fuel pumps, etc., can be fired statically at Spadeadam. This has been done twice successfully and, therefore, that money has been extremely usefully spent. As for the time, I have been disappointed before. I share the hon. Member's feelings about that, and I am anxious to get a decision as early as I can.
Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the whole question of space research and the advancement of modern technologies, ranging from cryogenics to electronics, to metals, to velocities and so on, is wholly dependent on this country being involved? If we are not to be involved in space research, can the right hon. Gentleman say what plans the Government have to evacuate 20 million people from this island if we cannot sustain them in an industrial economy?
I am very conscious of the importance from the technological point of view of being in on these forms of technology and work. I fully appreciate that one advantage would be that we should have this knowledge. What would happen if Europe did not come in is another matter which would have to be considered if and when that situation arose, which I hope it will not.
As the Minister has shown that we are in a technical position to use the weapon ourselves, will he put a time limit on future co-operation and then take an urgent decision to go ahead ourselves?
We have been having talks on the technical level with the Germans who are considering the matter. I would rather finish these first.
On a point of order. In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I beg to give notice for my hon. Friend the Member for Stockton-on-Tees (Mr. Chetwynd) and myself that one of us will raise this matter on the Adjournment at the earliest opportunity.