§ 17. Mr. Russell Johnstonasked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the estimated cost of flying out spare parts for aircraft and other equipment to the staging posts in the Indian Ocean and to other Far Eastern military posts where no comprehensive range of spares and stores is maintained.
§ Mr. ReesThe great bulk of air freight for the Services in the Far East is carried by Transport Command without significant extra cost to the Exchequer. It is estimated that during the current financial year the total cost of all Service air freight to the Far East by commercial aircraft will be £650,000. It is not possible to say how much of this is in respect of equipment for the staging post in the Indian Ocean but the amount must be very small.
§ Mr. Russell JohnstonCan the hon. Gentleman indicate precisely what kind of stores are unable to be held at staging posts and require to be shipped out in this way?
§ Mr. ReesAt staging posts for Royal Air Force purposes one would perhaps keep aircraft tyres and so on. However, the aim is that major servicing should be carried out at home. There is no need for large amounts of stores at staging-post islands or any other kind of staging posts.
§ 18. Mr. Lubbockasked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the estimated 1800 cost of moving supplies and material by air to stations east of Suez in the year 1967–68.
§ Mr. ReesOnly a comparatively small proportion of air freight required for the Services east of Suez is carried in aircraft other than those of Transport Command but £800,000 has been provided for air freight by commercial aircraft in Defence Estimates for the current year.