§ 7. Mr. Tolleyasked the Secretary of State for Air if the large quantity of equipment at R.A.F. maintenance units, suitable for civilian use, will now be made available, in view of the shortage existing at the present time of those articles.
§ Mr. P. Noel-BakerThe R.A.F. have made every effort to release without delay all surplus equipment which they do not 2013 require. Special priority is given to goods that are suitable for domestic use. There have been special difficulties in recent months, but I am glad to assure my hon. Friend that satisfactory progress has been made.
§ Mr. TolleyWill the Minister give an assurance that he will have a complete inventory made of all the R.A.F. equipment to which I have referred, because if so he will find that a large number of articles could still be used for the purpose of rebuilding the country at the present time?
§ Mr. Noel-BakerMy hon. Friend will realise that we must keep certain stocks for the future, and we do not want to go into the market with the civilian public. The making of the inventory for which he asks in itself involves a great deal of labour and delay in release. If we had not to make inventories we could release men much more quickly.
§ Mr. Joynson-HicksCan the Minister give any indication what progress he considers satisfactory?
§ Mr. Noel-BakerIn spite of the bad weather and lack of transport, which, for the last few months, greatly retarded matters, we have released very nearly three-quarters of what we shall be able to release, and I hope we shall finish it within this year.
§ Squadron-Leader FlemingIs it not a fact that equipment inventories are kept up to date in all these stores?
§ Mr. Noel-BakerYes, they are kept up to date. That means that, as things are constantly coming in from stations, a good deal of our labour is used there.