§ 27. Mr. Harold Daviesasked the Under-Secretary of State for Air the total maintenance expenditure on airfields constructed in Great Britain for the 1236 United States Air Force during the years 1951–52 and 1952–53; what are the estimates for 1953–54; and what proportion of this expenditure has been borne by the United States Government.
§ The Under-Secretary of State for Air (Mr. George Ward)The United States Government are bearing the whole cost of work done since 1st July, 1951. The figures requested are £850, 000, £900, 000 and £1, 300, 000, respectively.
§ Mr. FernyhoughIn view of the fact that our own housing programme and factory development is being thwarted by lack of supplies of cement and other materials, would the Minister put it to the United States that it might be helpful if they brought some of the material for the construction of these aerodromes from the United States and thus left more material for our own essential purposes?
§ Mr. WardThis is all part of the defence programme and it does not interfere with our housing programme.
§ Mr. DaviesCould not the Minister in future, in Vote 8, in presenting the House with the Air Estimates, include these figures rather than put in parenthesis the fact that these costs are included in the overall set of figures? Could he do that for the benefit and information of the House?
§ Mr. WardI will certainly take advice on that and consider it, but of course it is only an estimate.
§ 28. Mr. Harold Daviesasked the Under-Secretary of State for Air the total capital expenditure on construction of airfields in Great Britain for the United States Air Force in the years 1951–52 and 1952–53; what are the estimates for 1953–54; and what proportion of this expenditure has been borne by the United States Government.
§ Mr. WardThe figures are £9 million, £11 million and £22 million, respectively. The United States Government are bearing about half the cost for the first two years and will probably bear nearly three-quarters of the cost in 1953–54.