§ 46. Earl WINTERTONasked the Prime Minister whether the recent increase in the personnel and material of the Royal Air Force will involve a Supplementary Estimate, and whether that Estimate will be brought before the House prior to the close of the present Session?
§ The PRIME MINISTERYes, Sir. A Supplementary Air Estimate will be presented this Session but I am not in a position to name a precise date.
§ Mr. CHURCHILLCan the Prime Minister assure us that before this Supplementary Estimate is actually brought on to be debated in Committee, we shall have laid before us a White Paper setting forth the general scope of the proposals and explaining them?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI will bear my right hon. Friend's request in mind. I have no knowledge yet of what the Estimate will comprise, or how wide its scope may be.
§ Mr. CHURCHILLWill my right hon. Friend also bear in mind the obvious inconvenience under which the House lies, if a very important and complicated statement is made by a Minister, and then, when a new situation has been created, the House is expected to debate the matter immediately?
§ The PRIME MINISTERYes, Sir, I will keep that point in mind.
§ Sir P. HARRISDoes delay not give an opportunity for negotiations with other countries to continue, in the hope that it may not be necessary to have such a largely increased Estimate?
§ The PRIME MINISTERYes, that is true, but in my experience the delays 808 required are rather longer than the period which will be needed before the Estimate is presented.
§ Earl WINTERTONMay we be clear upon this? My right hon. Friend surely does not mean by the phrase "that is true" in his last reply, that there has been any delay in regard to the promise made to the House the other day as to the expansion of the Air Force?
§ The PRIME MINISTERNo, Sir.
§ Commander OLIVER LOCKER-LAMPSONIs my right hon. Friend aware that we have only five weeks to go?