§ 68. Viscount CURZONasked the Secretary of State for Air how much it costs to keep an effective pilot in the air in France, United States, Japan and Great Britain: and whether there are any figures to show the ratio of ground to flying personnel in each of these countries?
The SECRETARY of STATE for AIR (Captain Guest)I regret that I am unable to give the information required by my Noble and gallant Friend so far as it refers to foreign powers. The information at my disposal is not sufficient to enable me to frame any estimate under either heading of his question, owing to the distribution of the cost of these foreign air forces throughout several Votes and the consequent impossibility of segregating the amount of money or personnel devoted solely to their air defences. As regards Great Britain, I would refer the Noble Lord to the Air Estimates and to the answer given to him on 6th July, in which it was stated that there were, at that time in the Air Force, 1,862 qualified pilots and 109 observers. In answer to the second part of the question, my Noble and gallant Friend will see that Vote A of the Air Estimates provide for an establishment of 31,176 of all ranks which, added to the number in India, namely, 1,838, gives a figure of about 17 Royal Air Force personnel of all ranks to every pilot.
§ Viscount CURZONIs it possible to give the figures asked for in the first part of the question as far as they relate to Great Britain?