HC Deb 15 March 1949 vol 462 cc2069-71

Motion made, and Question proposed, That a sum, not exceeding £22,500,000, be granted to His Majesty, to defray the expense of works and lands, which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1950.

11.42 p.m.

Mr. Emrys Hughes

I should like to have some information with regard to airfields which come under this Vote. I should like an assurance that in the development of these airfields and runways the Royal Air Force is paying its proper share and that the Ministry of Civil Aviation is not paying for some airfields which should come under the heading of the Royal Air Force. I refer to Prestwick. There has been a considerable amount of money spent at Prestwick, which is in my constituency.

The Chairman

I think the hon. Member is under a misapprehension. His question appears to be one which should more properly be directed to the Ministry of Civil Aviation. The hon. Member asks whether the expenditure on some airfields in use by the Royal Air Force is being paid by the Ministry of Civil Aviation. That clearly is a matter for the Ministry of Civil Aviation Estimates and not those of the Air Ministry.

Mr. Hughes

I want to ask if the Royal Air Force is paying any sum in connection with Prestwick.

Mr. de Freitas

Generally the answer is that most certainly we are paying our fair share of any airfield of which we are joint users. We sometimes feel that we are paying a little too much.

Mr. Hughes

There is another point and it is the question of the building of married quarters. I know I have been rather persistent on this point but I do suggest that there is every ground for persistence because of the memorandum before us. It is said that some 2,000 permanent married quarters are under construction, that it is expected that 1,200 will be begun and that in 1949–50 a further 300 temporary quarters will be started. In the Debate in another place there was a good deal of apprehension about when these married quarters are to be built. Lord Henderson has said that the scheme to convert buildings into temporary married quarters had been pressed on and that 300 additional temporary quarters would be provided during the coming year. That is something, but it does not meet the need and that is why I want to draw the attention of the Minister of Defence to the lack of co-ordination of his policy.

The Chairman

The question of the co-ordination of defence has no application to the Estimate which is now before the Committee. The hon. Member must stick to the Estimate.

Mr. Hughes

I have no wish to go into the co-ordination of defence in the way you mean, Major Milner. I am not talking about strategy. What I am suggesting is that the Minister of Defence should take a look at my argument. If he is to get married quarters for his R.A.F., he must have the people to build them. In Scotland, if he is to have any married quarters, he will need plasterers, bricklayers and joiners. He cannot build without these tradesmen, but he will not give me an assurance that these workers are not being called up for service in the Forces. I want him to give me a definite assurance that if these married quarters are to be provided, he will not take away building workers who are absolutely essential if they are to be built.

Question put, and agreed to.

Resolved: That a sum not exceeding £22,500,000 be granted to His Majesty to defray the ex