71. Sir F. HALLasked the Undersecretary of State to the Air Ministry whether a further alteration is likely to take place in the uniform, which has been in existence about three months, of officers and men of the Royal Air Force; and, if so, whether, considering the shortage of labour, the loss of material, the cost to officers concerned, and the request of the Government to economise and not to waste labour, he will immediately give instructions that such contemplated alteration is not to be carried out during the War?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE to the AIR MINISTRY (Major Baird)The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The introduction of the new uniform was decided upon by the Air Council, after the fullest consideration of all the factors involved. No additional labour will be required; no loss of material is involved, as all khaki uniform will either be worn out before it is replaced or it will be cleaned and repaired and returned to the Army for reissue; no additional cost is involved to-the State, as the new uniform costs less than the uniform hitherto worn by the Royal Naval Air Service and the Royal Flying Corps. Officers will only be called upon to provide themselves with the new uniform when that which they are at present wearing becomes worn out, and no compulsion will be exercised to make them get it earlier.
Sir F. HALLMay I ask if it is a question of economy to alter the existing uniforms for a new branch of the Service, instead of supplying them with a new uniform, and allowing those that have been made for the Air Force to be entirely worn out before there is any question of alteration?
§ Major BAIRDI am afraid I did not make myself quite clear. I did say the uniform will be worn out before it is replaced.
Sir F. HALLThen it is to be understood that the existing uniforms are not 505 to be altered for either branch of the Service? I hope the hon. and gallant Gentleman will make this perfectly plain.
§ Major BAIRDI am afraid I do not quite see my hon. and gallant Friend's point. The Air Force uniform will be different from that worn by the Navy and Army. There are three different Services, but not three different branches of one Service.
Sir F. HALLWhy should it be necessary, after being in existence only three months, to have an alteration in this uniform? Why were not proper steps taken in the first place?
§ Major BAIRDIt has not been in existence; it is only just coming out.
§ Major BAIRDWhat has been discovered is that khaki is not liked by sailors, and it is having a bad effect on the esprit de corps and moral to put them into khaki. That is the plain fact, and as we can both please the sailors and soldiers, without any increased cost to the State, certainly it is worth while doing so.
§ Colonel YATEKnowing how all commanding officers are anxious to see all their men in up-to-date uniform, will the hon. and gallant Gentleman give special instructions that no officer is compelled to purchase a new uniform until the old uniform is worn out?
§ Major BAIRDI have already said that.