HC Deb 12 December 1956 vol 562 c413
14. Mr. de Freitas

asked the Minister of Defence what special markings were used on the allied air forces' aircraft during the attack on Egypt.

Mr. Birch

I have been asked to reply.

Allied aircraft were painted with three yellow and two black stripes round the centre of each wing and also on the fuselage.

Mr. de Freitas

Has the Minister seen the photograph in last week's Aeroplane of an Israeli fighter, with Israeli markings, bearing those allied invasion stripes on wings and fuselage, and can he explain this?

Mr. Birch

I have seen the photograph. I do not know what the explanation is. It could, of course, easily have been faked, but I do not know.

Mr. G. Brown

Is it sufficient for the Minister merely to say that he does not know? Will he make some inquiries and inform the House about it?

Mr. Birch

I have made inquiries, and I do not know what the answer is.

Mr. Brown

Can we really permit that? Is it not the Minister's business to find an answer to his inquiries? If his inquiries have been so feeble that no one will give him an answer, should he not do something about it?

Mr. Birch

There are answers to many questions I should like to discover but cannot.