§ 96. Mr. GWYNNEasked the Secretary of State for Air if he is aware that a draft of men has recently been billeted at Polegate and Willingdon whilst working at the Polegate airship station, in spite of the fact that there is accommodation for large numbers of men at the aerodrome; and whether it is reasonable, in view of the shortage of housing accommodation, to compulsorily billet men in adjoining villages, and so deprive others from obtaining accommodation when excellent huts are standing empty?
§ Sir A. WILLIAMSONThe airship station at Polegate was evacuated on the 6th February, 1920, and handed over to the Disposal Board of the Ministry of Munitions, in accordance with the undertaking given by the Under-Secretary of State for Air in his answer to my hon. Friend's question on the 29th October last. Almost immediately after this had 411 been done, request for certain airship stores were received from Dominion Governments. On the receipt of these requests, the station was withdrawn from the Disposal Board and the Governments concerned were asked to define more exactly the stores which they required. On the receipt of this information, a party of two officers and 45 men was sent to pack the stores required, and it was considered that, owing to the short period during which this party would be employed at Polegate, it would be cheaper and quicker to billet them than to re-open the station, with the consequent provision of bedding, barrack stores, rations, fuel, light, etc., in addition to the extra personnel which it would have been necessary to send to make these arrangements, and which the Air Force can ill spare at present.
§ Mr. GWYNNEFor how long will these men be there?
§ Sir A. WILLIAMSONI am informed a short time.