§ 8. Sir W. Wakefieldasked the Undersecretary of State for Air why seven Sunderland aircraft serviced for return to England were flown out to sea and sunk off the coast of Africa about September, 1945.
§ Mr. StracheyOut of 59 Sunderlands in West Africa at the end of the war, 23 of the oldest were scuttled after useful equipment had been taken out of them. This was done with the full agreement of the Ministry of Aircraft Production. I should warn the House that numbers of obsolescent combat aircraft have been scrapped or may have to be scrapped, if we are to avoid quite an intolerable waste of manpower in maintenance.
§ Sir W. WakefieldIs the Undersecretary aware of the great indignation caused throughout Africa because of this action? Why was not full publicity given to the reasons for so doing?
§ Mr. StracheyI think the action was entirely justified, but it may have been that sufficient explanation was not given. If so, I am grateful to the hon. Member for giving me this opportunity.
§ Sir W. WakefieldWill the Undersecretary see that the fullest possible publicity is given to the reply?
§ Mr. StracheyYes, and I will take special steps to see that when scrappings of this kind take place full publicity is given.
§ Air-Commodore HarveyIs the Undersecretary aware that military Sunderlands have been sold to South America as commercial aircraft and would it not be possible to convert some of them so that they could earn dollars for us?
§ Mr. StracheyYes, Sir. Sunderlands are being used on our own civil air lines, but these particular Sunderlands were very near the end of their useful life, and I fear that no commercial air line would have cared to take them on.