§ 27. Viscount CURZONasked the Prime Minister whether the Government have yet been able to consider the question of the control and provision for the air arm of the Royal Navy; whether the Government are satisfied that adequate provision is being made to meet the Admiralty requirements for fighting, reconnaissance, and spotting planes; and whether better 1662 provision in these respects and actual economies can be made if a reorganisation of the branch of the Royal Air Force operating with the Royal Navy is carried out and the Royal Navy made responsible for and be given control of its air arm?
§ 28. Sir H. BRITTAINasked the Prime Minister whether the Imperial Defence Committee has reached any decision which will enable production orders to be given forthwith to the recognised British aircraft and aero-engine firms, so that they may find it possible to keep their works going and their experienced staffs together until the House reassembles in November?
34. Captain BENNasked the Prime Minister whether the Imperial Defence Committee has decided that the Navy will be permitted to supply and control aircraft of its own?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe Government, as the result of an inquiry by the Committee of Imperial Defence, have decided to adopt a scheme submitted by the Air Ministry providing a force of 500 machines for home defence at an increased cost of £2,000,000 per annum. £900,000 out of the total of £2,000,000 will be found by economies in the Estimates of the Air Ministry.
The inquiries of the Cabinet Committee on Economy in the Fighting Services have advanced sufficiently far to enable me to state that the addition to the Air Estimates will not prevent a reduction in the total estimates of the three fighting services for the year 1923–24.
Considerable orders in execution of this programme will be placed with private firms in the current calendar year.
The foregoing decisions will not prejudice a further expansion of the Royal Air Force if later on this is found necessary to our national security. This question will be considered in the light of the financial situation next year and of the air policy adopted by other Powers.
The inquiry into the system of naval and air co-operation, and as to the best method of securing that the Air Force should render to the Navy the aid it may require, has not yet been completed.
§ Lieut.-Colonel FREMANTLEWill the right hon. Gentleman reply to Question 33, and as regard the subsidiary services?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThat is a matter regarding which the inquiry is still proceeding.
§ Lieut.-Colonel FREMANTLEWill the reports be published?
§ Colonel WEDGWOODIs the enormous increase in the expenditure on the Air Force due to the enormous development of the Air Service in France?
§ The PRIME MINISTERWell, we have to take all the circumstances into account.
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSIs the answer of the right hon. Gentleman in lieu of the proposed statement that we understood the Prime Minister would make to-morrow; will he make no further statement?
§ The PRIME MINISTERNo.
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSThen the matter cannot be debated?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThat is a matter for Mr. Speaker, and not for me, but I should have thought it could have been discussed on the Adjournment Motion.