§ 29 Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSasked the Secretary of State for War (1) how many of his eighty efficient machines are biplanes and how many are monoplanes, how many are more than six months old; and how many have been bought second-hand since the 1st January, 1913; (2) to which squadrons of the Royal Army Flying Corps the eighty efficient machines are attached, and how long they 368 have been in the possession of each of such squadrons; (3) how many aeroplanes were ordered by the Army Wing of the Royal Flying Corps from English manufacturers between Michaelmas Day and Christmas Day, 1912, and whether his new and perfect machine is to be made at the Royal Aircraft Factory or elsewhere; and (4) whether, on the 24th March, 1913, the only efficient aeroplanes belonging to the Royal Flying Corps, apart from the machines in the factory, were seventeen at Upavon, three at Lark Hill, fourteen at Farnborough, and five at Montrose?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for WAR (Colonel Seely)These questions raise points on which I made in my speech on the introduction of Army Estimates the fullest statement that can be made at present consistently with public interests.
§ Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSDoes the public interest really prevent us from knowing the nature of the aeroplanes we have?
§ Colonel SEELYCertainly.
§ 31. Mr. JOYNSON HICKSasked the right hon. Gentleman whether his attention has been called to the statement by General Henderson, Director of Military Training, at the meeting of the Aeronautical Society on the 26th instant, that the reason why orders for aeroplanes last year were spasmodic was that the money came spasmodically, and that when orders were not given it was due to lack of money; and whether such statements enunciates the views of his Department?
§ Colonel SEELYMy attention had been called to this matter. The statement made by the general officer at the meeting referred to, of which a brief report appeared in the Press, was accurate in every particular, and conflicted in no way with my public acknowledgment of the liberal way in which my demands on the Exchequer for aviation had been met by the Chancellor. There are many other things besides aeroplanes to be provided out of aviation funds, and it was necessary for me personally to decide from time to time in what proportion sums should be allotted to the various services.
§ Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSDo I gather from that that the spasmodic orders were owing to lack of funds?
§ Colonel SEELYNo, Sir, certainly not. If my hon. Friend will read my reply he will see they were owing to decisions I 369 had to give myself as to the directions in which we should spend the money available for the various aviation services.