§ 9. Mr. Lipsonasked the Secretary of State for Air whether he can give an assurance that all suggestions for dealing with enemy night-bombing attacks receive careful and prompt consideration from his Department?
§ Mr. LipsonHas the hon. and gallant Gentleman's attention been drawn to an article in the "Sunday Express" on Sunday in which it was stated that a South African had a scheme for dealing with night bombers, and that he was sent over here by the South African military authorities and was kept waiting for several months without his proposals being considered?
Captain BalfourMy attention was drawn to that, and I was expecting that my hon. Friend would refer to it in a Supplementary Question. Inventions and new proposals must usually be considered by the Ministry of Aircraft Production, who are responsible for research and development. This particular gentleman 832 was twice interviewed by the Director of Fighter Operations at the Air Ministry and on each occasion was given a letter of introduction to the Ministry of Aircraft Production. He was treated with the utmost courtesy in my Department. It was necessary that the experts in the Ministry of Aircraft Production should pronounce on the invention. He was interviewed twice, first on 21st December, three days after he came to my Department, by the Ministry of Aircraft Production. It was clear that this particular invention had merely reached the stage which the Department had reached in 1936, and his idea unfortunately, grateful as we were for its submission, was of no use. He was asked as a matter of courtesy to bring his model to the Ministry of Aircraft Production but did not do so until 24th February, three days after his second interview with the Director of Fighter Operations in my Department. It was then explained to him that his invention was of no value, and at that time he seemed completely satisfied with the reply. Since that date he has been in touch with the War Office, who in turn have inquired of the Ministry of Aircraft Production as to what had occurred during the previous investigations.
§ Mr. LipsonIs my hon. and gallant Friend aware that his full answer will do much to remove uneasiness?
§ Mr. KirkwoodAre we to sit back and allow bombers to come across every night and do nothing to stop them?