§ 23. Mr. George Wardasked the Secretary of State for Air the number of married quarters available in the United Kingdom for officers and other ranks of the R.A.F., respectively; the number of such married quarters at present unoccupied awaiting repair; the number of married quarters at present under construction; and the number of officers and men whose names are at present on a waiting list for married quarters.
§ Mr. de FreitasThere are 1,240 married quarters for officers and 6,700 for airmen. Altogether about 25 are unoccupied and awaiting repair. Four hundred and thirty married quarters for officers and 2,100 for airmen are under construction. Each station has its own waiting list, but there is no central list so I cannot give the figures asked for. However I will have them compiled and will send them to the hon. Member.
§ Mr. WardWould not the Under-Secretary agree that the provision of adequate married quarters has a very important bearing on recruiting for, and on morale in, the R.A.F.? Will he further agree that if he wants to get the right type of man into the Air Force and keep him happy there, he must tackle this problem much more energetically?
§ Mr. de FreitasI quite agree with the premise of the hon. Gentleman's argument. The problem is being tackled and 2,500 quarters are now being built.
§ 29 and 30. Air-Commodore Harveyasked the Secretary of State for Air (1)what system is employed and how long it takes 1192 his Department to obtain vacant possession of married quarters now being occupied by families of men still in the R.A.F. but whose entitlement to married quarters has ceased;
(2) what system is employed and how long it takes his Department to obtain vacant possession of married quarters now occupied by families of ex-Service officers and airmen whose entitlement to married quarters has ceased, due to their demobilisation from the Service.
§ Mr. de FreitasWhen an occupant ceases for any reason to be entitled to occupy a married quarter he is given 61 days' notice. If the quarter is not given up at the end of this period the facts are reported to my Department so that proceedings may be taken through the courts.
§ Air-Commodore HarveyAm I to understand that officers who are serving are given 61 days' notice, in the same way as an officer who has been demobilised.
§ Mr. de FreitasThat was my answer, but I ought to add that each case is considered on its merits and that we have never had any reason to reject a serving officer at all.
§ Mr. Geoffrey CooperIs the Minister aware that there are some who have left the Service to take up civil employment and whose families are still occupying Service quarters, thereby depriving other Service families of accommodation?
§ Mr. de FreitasEach case is gone into very carefully and 60 people altogether have been evicted.