§ 21. Mr. Doddsasked the Secretary of State for War on how many occasions Army helicopters have been used for transportation purposes to or from built-up areas near the centre of London; and what safety precautions are required to be observed.
§ The Under-Secretary of State for War (Mr. J. R. H. Hutchison)Although the Army has no helicopters of its own, there have been flights by Royal Air Force helicopters flown by Army pilots on Army tasks. These were dealt with by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Air in his reply to a Question by the hon. Member on 12th May.
§ Mr. DoddsDoes the hon. Gentleman not think it is going a bit too far to risk the life of the Chief of the Imperial General Staff in a single-engined helicopter? What about the risks to people and property in flying above a built-up area in London?
§ Mr. HutchisonThe safety Regulations are laid down by the Air Ministry and are very strictly observed so as to avoid to the maximum any risk. As to the risk to the Chief of the Imperial General Staff, I do not think it is very great because I have flown in the same flight myself.
§ Captain RyderIs it not about time the Army controlled its own helicopters?
§ Mr. DoddsDoes the hon. Gentleman think it is safe to have landing stations on the banks of the Thames?
§ Mr. HutchisonThe landing stations used obviously conform to the requirements.
§ 25 and 26. Mr. Doddsasked the Secretary of State for War, (1) what progress has been made in the consideration given by his Department in respect to an experimental flight of helicopters, controlled and operated by Army units;
(2) how many helicopters, and what types, are in service with the Army; and what orders have been placed by his Department to increase the helicopter strength.
§ Mr. J. R. H. HutchisonThe provision of helicopters in support of the Army is the responsibility of my noble Friend the Secretary of State for Air, with whom my right hon. Friend is at present discussing the Army's future needs. At present a flight of three Bristol 171 helicopters of the Royal Air Force, which are flown by Army pilots, is employed on special Army tasks, details of which were given in a reply to the right hon. Member for Bassetlaw (Mr. Bellenger) on 13th April this year.
§ Mr. DoddsIs not the hon. Gentleman really ashamed to make such a sorry story? Is he not aware that every United States Army division has 10 helicopters, every transportation company has 21, and that in the Malaya and Korea nothing did more to raise the morale of the troops than helicopters? Cannot the Army match the enterprise of the Navy, which has done a grand job with helicopters?
§ Mr. HutchisonAs I have said in this House, and as has been said by my right hon. Friend, we are most anxious to have more helicopters and are at the moment discussing how they are to be got and operated.
§ Mr. BeswickIn discussing the needs of the Army with his colleagues in the Air Ministry, is the hon. Gentleman satisfied with the facilities available in this country for training helicopter pilots?
§ Mr. HutchisonThat is a different question, but, from the experience I have had of these helicopter pilots, it seems to me that their training is first-class.
§ Mr. BeswickNo one suggests that it is not, but is the hon. Gentleman satisfied about the number of pilots being trained for the future?
§ Mr. HutchisonThe number of pilots depends on the number of helicopters. When we know the number of helicopters we shall have at our disposal, the training of pilots will go on concurrently.
§ Mr. DoddsOwing to the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I beg to give notice that I shall raise the matter on the Adjournment on Tuesday, 15th June.