14. Air Commodore Harveyasked the Secretary of State for Air what arrangements are being made to bring into service a single engine jet trainer dual aircraft.
§ Mr. A. HendersonTo meet our additional requirements under the expansion programme a number of single-engined Vampire trainer dual aircraft are being ordered and it is hoped that they will come into service next year.
Air Commodore HarveyWhile that is satisfactory up to a point, does the right hon. and learned Gentleman realise that, according to the daily papers and as we are informed, casualties in jet fighter squadrons are taking place daily, and that there is real need to press on with this equipment? Will he try to accelerate production?
§ Mr. HendersonI cannot possibly accept the inference in that question. There is no connection between the number of casualties in operational jet aircraft and the fact that we have not got this single-engined trainer aircraft. All our jet pilots have been trained, as the hon. and gallant Gentleman well knows, in the Meteor VII, but in view of the expansion programme we require a larger number of trainer aircraft and that is why we are going on to the Vampire.