Mr William Taylor: I am satisfied that the steps that we have now taken will improve the position; but as the hon. Member put down a Question in general terms, I have replied accordingly.
Mr William Taylor: We have done that also.
Mr William Taylor: None, Sir.
Mr William Taylor: The question of this requirement is still under discussion between my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for War and Air, and until requirements are received from them the Ministry of Supply can do nothing in the matter.
Mr William Taylor: I have no desire to bring this short debate to a premature conclusion, for I observe that some hon. Members still want to take part. However, time is limited, and I hope that the House will now allow me to reply to some of the points which have been raised. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Gloucestershire, South (Mr. Corfield) on his contribution to the debate. The problem is big...
Mr William Taylor: If I said that I was never doing anything else, I should not be overstating the case. I am very conscious of the need to keep in close touch with the trade unions on all these matters and to encourage employers to give the fullest possible information to their workpeople about how things are going. We do everything we possibly can to encourage that process. It was thus against a background...
Mr William Taylor: I had not intended to make any reference to Scotland, but the hon. Member may like to know that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and myself have, during the last few days, been extremely actively engaged in matters affecting Scottish Aviation. I think that I can claim quite justly that our efforts have not been completely unsuccessful. We have been able to make some...
Mr William Taylor: I have always admired the assiduity with which my hon. Friend pursues these matters as they affect his constituency and Scotland in general, hut I hope that the way in which he has posed his question does not mean that he regards the answer as a foregone conclusion.
Mr William Taylor: It certainly is hopeful. I was also asked by my hon. Friend about a committee for the aircraft industry. There are many subjects over the whole field of Government administration where responsibility is shared between a number of Ministers. But I do not think that a proliferation of committees is necessarily the best way of ensuring co-ordination. My hon. Friend referred to the number of...
Mr William Taylor: The hon. Member's question indicates the kind of problem with which the committee is faced. In many ways these matters probe into entirely unknown fields, and it is for the committee to consider whether it should devote its efforts in the direction in which the hon. Member has indicated or go for the conventional forward-flying aircraft. I cannot anticipate what the experts will say. I feel...
Mr William Taylor: I have been asked to reply, as the houses at Kirkby are owned by the Ministry of Supply. Rents are being increased where necessary to bring them in line with rents which under the Rent Act, 1957, may be charged by private landlords. The present annual loss per dwelling amounts to about £37. The new rents for both houses and flats are reasonable, and my right hon. Friend does not propose to...
Mr William Taylor: I am satisfied that the rents now being charged for these houses are in line with those charged for local authority houses and the best privately-owned houses. There is no reason to accept a suggestion that Government tenants, or, indeed, tenants not employed by the Government, should have a preferential rent compared with others.
Mr William Taylor: I should have thought that the example of the local authorities which I gave in my answer was a reasonable one to give. These rents are not out of line with local authority rents. As regards a visit to the town, I am quite prepared to send an official up there at any time to see these houses, or, indeed, to do anything which will show that the Government are no worse a landlord than either...
Mr William Taylor: I should not necessarily accept that as a precept, but I appreciate what my hon. Friend has said.
Mr William Taylor: It would not be in the national interest to reveal actual numbers of staff at the establishments, but over the year in question the numbers were reduced by 3·6 per cent. My right hon. Friend is always considering possible ways of achieving greater economy and efficiency but any attempt to amalgamate the three establishments at the present time would involve very heavy expenditure in the...
Mr William Taylor: Ministry of Supply airfields are largely engaged on research and development and there is still a heavy programme of work to be completed on current and proposed aircraft, but, as and when circumstances permit, changes will be made. With regard to the second part of the supplementary question, I will have a look at that.
Mr William Taylor: Propeller noise is generally not as loud or as disturbing as jet noise, but is more difficult to reduce. We are, therefore, directing our efforts mainly to the field of jet noise, where useful contributions to a solution seem more probable. The Ministry of Supply assists fundamental research into jet noise at the College of Aeronautics and some of our universities, and has contracts with...
Mr William Taylor: I am aware of the public concern about this matter, but it is an engineering problem of great complexity and it may be that the ultimate answer lies in new designs of engines, but I will do all I can to expedite this work.
Mr William Taylor: I can give that assurance.
Mr William Taylor: New requirements for helicopters are formulated by means of close consultation between the Service Departments and the Ministry of Supply. Development and production rests with the Ministry of Supply.
