§ 13. Mr. RHYS DAVIESasked the Under-Secretary of State for Air the total cost of the Royal Air Force displays at Hendon for the years 1929, 1930, 1931 and 1932, respectively; and whether he will consider the discontinuance of such displays, in view of the appeals for economy advocated by His Majesty's Government in all State Department?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for AIR (Sir Philip Sassoon)As regards the first part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the replies which I gave to him and to the hon. Member for Gower (Mr. D. Grenfell) on 17th May last. I would, however, take this opportunity of emphasising two points. Firstly, the display is essentially a collective culmination of the annual training programme of the Royal Air Force which is in any event necessary to the maintenance of efficiency. Secondly, the whole cost of providing the necessary enclosures and stands, and other incidental expenditure at Hendon is borne by non-public funds. No additional charge is therefore imposed on the Exchequer, and consequently no economy would result if the display were discontinued in its present form.
§ Mr. DAVIESDoes the right hon. Gentleman mean to imply by that that the Royal Air Force could not possibly be efficient without these displays?
§ Sir P. SASSOONI did not say anything of the sort. I said that the particular work which is done in the displays is the culmination of the training, and that any expenditure incurred, as far as the spectators are concerned, came out of receipts.
§ Mr. T. WILLIAMSDoes the right hon. Gentleman not think the Hendon displays are indirectly the cause of many deaths from aerial acrobatics, apart from the normal necessities of air training?
§ Sir P. SASSOONNo, I do not think so at all.
§ Mr. MABANEDo not these displays allow the electorate to see how well their money is being spent?