§ 8 Air-Commodore Harveyasked the Secretary of State for Air in which countries British air attaches are provided with Service aircraft to he used in carrying out their duties; and which air attachés are without such aircraft.
§ The Under-Secretary of State for Air (Mr. Geoffrey de Freitas)Aircraft are provided in Czechoslovakia, France, Italy, Mexico, Persia and Yugoslavia, and an aircraft will be delivered in Siam next month. There are 22 countries in which air attaches are not provided with aircraft.
§ Air-Commodore HarveyDoes the Under-Secretary realise that American naval and air attaches in practically every country have aircraft in which they travel; that British air attaches are at a complete disadvantage, many of them not even having bicycles; and will he look into this matter so that British prestige abroad can be maintained?
§ Mr. de FreitasI realise some of the considerations to which the hon. and gallant Member has referred, but, in allotting what aircraft we have, we take into account the state of communications in the country concerned, and whether 1525 the air attaché is accredited to other countries near it. We have not the resources which America possesses.
§ Sir Peter MacdonaldIs it not a fact that, in countries like the South American republics, where air attaches have to travel from one country to another, they have to do so in American aircraft, which is not good for the British aircraft construction industry or for British prestige abroad?
§ Mr. de FreitasWe are looking into the case of the South American air attaches at the moment.