Mr George Chetwynd: Can the Minister be a little more specific by what he means by "later this year"? Is he aware that this inquiry has been going on for a considerable time and that there is considerable local public interest and, indeed, anxiety? Will the right hon. Gentleman ask the Commission to get a move on and let us know its proposals as soon as possible?
Mr George Chetwynd: My hon. Friend the Member for Dudley (Mr. Wigg) has rightly raised the effect of the change in the German currency upon the position of our troops in the British Army of the Rhine. Within these troops there is a section who, in my opinion, have been unfairly dealt with in the past few years. I refer to the National Service men who have been serving in Germany side by side with Regular troops...
Mr George Chetwynd: asked the President of the Board of Trade how many inquiries he has received since 16th February, 1961, regarding the tenancy of the empty Government-financed factory at Stockton-on-Tees.
Mr George Chetwynd: Is it not a shocking waste of public money that this large factory should be standing idle when it could be used for engineering, thus employing some of the people in constituencies adjoining Stockton-on-Tees, about which Questions have been asked today? Is it not wrong for the Minister to give false hopes to the people in Durham about 14,000 jobs, when that figure is based on estimates of...
Mr George Chetwynd: Although the factory is on lease and the rent is being paid, it is standing idle when it could be used for industrial purposes, thus helping our position in the export market. What priority is the hon. Gentleman giving to this? Is he satisfied merely to receive the rent and see the place going to rot?
Mr George Chetwynd: asked the President of the Board of Trade how many men and women, respectively, are employed on the North Tees Industrial Estate; and how this compares with a comparable date in 1950, 1955, 1959 and 1960.
Mr George Chetwynd: Has there been any substantial increase in the numbers over this period? Is it intended to build any additional capacity on the estate?
Mr George Chetwynd: Will the right hon. Gentleman give the assurance that there is little likelihood of danger arising because of the methods taken at London Airport to deal with the matter?
Mr George Chetwynd: asked the Minister of Aviation whether the decision to base the future of a civil helicopter on the Belvedere replaces the decision to give a development contract for the Roto- dyne; how much has been spent by the Government on the Rotodyne up to date; whether the offer of £1,400,000 to British European Airways to put the Rotodyne into service still stands; and what financial arrangements...
Mr George Chetwynd: Will the Minister make clear that the Rotodyne is still the vehicle on which he is putting greatest emphasis in relation to future inter-city travel? If the question of noise cannot be dealt with, can be state whether he will agree to the Army taking over this helicopter for troop training? Can he say when we are likely to have a civil helicopter air service between, for example, Manchester...
Mr George Chetwynd: asked the Minister of Aviation whether he will give general directions to the British Overseas Airways Corporation and British European Airways to ensure the most useful and efficient air service to the Middle East, in order to further the national interest there and to avoid unnecessary and wasteful duplication of services.
Mr George Chetwynd: Is not the Minister aware that, owing to the clash between B.O.A.C. and its associates and B.E.A. and its associates in the Middle East area, there is grave danger regarding the effective use by B.O.A.C. of its established position there? Is he aware also that because of the delicate political atmosphere in that area it is all the more necessary to have a co-ordinating policy between airlines...
Mr George Chetwynd: Will the Minister make clear whether the £300,000 does include Spadeadam?
Mr George Chetwynd: It does. Has the Minister seen the Guardian today? Will he read the feature article in it to see whether it is worth while going ahead with the project in these days?
Mr George Chetwynd: Will the Minister bear in mind that Woolsington is the only possible aerodrome for the North-East? There is a growing demand for services for Continental travel. The earlier he can make a decision the better it will be for all concerned.
Mr George Chetwynd: Do not these miserable figures show that the Board of Trade is not living up to the very high hopes put forward by the Government when the Act was passed, but that it is becoming more and more apparent that the Board of Trade is more anxious to turn down applications than to grant them?
Mr George Chetwynd: rose
Mr George Chetwynd: Some of us wish to oppose the proposed Bill, Mr. Speaker, but the conduct of the hon. Member for Kidderminster is making it impossible for us to do so. It is placing us—
Mr George Chetwynd: asked the Minister of Aviation what action he proposes to take on air-freight rates following the failure of the recent International Air Transport Association cargo conference in Paris to reach a common policy.
Mr George Chetwynd: Has not the Minister yet had an approach from B.O.A.C. to allow it to go ahead with fixing its own freight rates? In view of the potential of this traffic, will he reach a speedy conclusion on this matter?
