§ 13. Mr. Garro Jonesasked the Minister of Aircraft Production whether he is aware that important articles of equipment have been ordered by his Department without provision being made for spare and maintenance parts for that equipment, and that aircraft in large numbers are grounded as a result; and whether he will have this system altered without delay?
§ Colonel LlewellinContracts for major items of equipment contain a clause calling for the reservation of a specified proportion of the available capacity for the production of spares. The Air Ministry 626 states its requirements regarding spares, and there is close co-operation between the two Ministries in regard to their provision. I am, however, seeing whether there is any way in which the arrangements for securing sufficient spares can be improved.
§ Mr. Garro JonesIs the right hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that many of the contracts do not contain a clause making a reservation for spare parts to be manufactured at the same time, and that, as a result, many aircraft of first-class operational types, such as Wellingtons and Spitfires, are now grounded, awaiting spares which are on order?
§ Colonel LlewellinWhen new orders are placed a certain percentage is set aside for the manufacture of spares. It is not always easy, with a new type coming into service, to say what proportion of spares you need for each part of the machine; but we try to get spares provided with each machine. Where we find that a new machine is not provided with quite sufficient spares, we have to give the orders later.