asked the Minister of Supply to what extent it is his policy to have a resident projects engineer with each aircraft manufacturing firm engaged on a primary contract; and if this policy has been applied since January, 1956, in the case of the Victor bomber contract.

The production officers responsible for progressing aircraft projects are stationed at headquarters and are not resident at the firms concerned.

Is it not usual to have a resident officer at the factories concerned? If the Parliamentary Secretary now makes a statement to the contrary, will he have another look to see what the facts are?

There are certain resident officers—for example, resident technical officers and officers representing the A.I.D.—but project officers, the type of officers mentioned in the Question, are based on headquarters.

While I accept the fact that it is a little difficult to press this matter today as some of the people interested are with the Victor, may I ask the Parliamentary Secretary if he will answer this question? Comparing like with like, has there been an officer with the Victor bomber contract since January of this year?

There has never been a whole-time production project officer at those works; he has been in only a part-time position; and a production project officer is still serving on a part-time basis.