HC Deb 18 July 1956 vol 556 cc1211-2
48. Mr. de Freitas

asked the Minister of Defence whether he will investigate the arrangements made by the Service Departments for the supply and maintenance of guided missiles to prevent overlapping between the Services and waste of the limited skilled manpower in the Royal Air Force.

Sir W. Monckton

I keep in close touch with all these matters. I am not aware that there is any unnecessary overlapping between the Services or risk of waste of skilled manpower, but if the right hon. Gentleman has any particular points in mind and will let me know what they are, I shall be very glad to consider them.

Mr. de Freitas

Will the right hon. and learned Gentleman accept the general proposition that, if there are components and missiles used commonly by the three Services, he will have common maintenance for servicing and not waste technicians in the three Services?

Sir W. Monckton

There is a distinction between the two. In the case of common services, we are doing, and are going to do, what we can to improve co-ordination. I do not think it follows as night does the day that the maintenance is not best done by the individual Services.