47. Miss LEEasked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether it is intended to hold the aerial pageant at Hendon this year as on previous occasions; whether any other pageants besides that at Hendon have been projected; It he will state the purpose of aerial pageants and their approximate cost to the nation; and whether he will consider confining the display to civil aviation and excluding all war aircraft from participation in them?
§ Mr. MONTAGUEThe answer being necessarily of some length, I propose, with my hon. Friend's permission, to circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the answer:
§ The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, no other display of a similar nature to that at Hendon is organised at home by the Royal Air Force, but some Royal Air Force aircraft will be taking part in the civil flying meetings referred to in the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Southwark, Central (Mr. Day) on 19th March. As regards the third part, the purposes for which the display at Hendon is held are to provide an annual inspection and review, corresponding in some degree to the reviews of the Navy and Army at Spithead and Aldershot, as a means of ascertaining the degree of efficiency that is being maintained in the Air Force and as a test of individual and collective skill, to enable the public to see something of the work of the Royal Air Force, and incidentally to raise funds 955 for Air Force charities. No extra cost over and above that of ordinary training, of which the display forms part, is thrown upon public funds; the cost of all special arrangements and facilities for spectators is met out of the receipts. As regards the last part, my Noble Friend sees no reason for thus altering the character of an annual event in which it is evident, from the attendance, that the general public take a very great interest.