HC Deb 28 November 1956 vol 561 cc374-5
14. Mr. Beswick

asked the Secretary of State for Air the estimated proportion of equipment now used by the Royal Air Force which has been supplied under the American off-shore purchases.

Mr. Birch

The total value of equipment so far supplied to us from American off-shore purchases amounts to £24 million. It is not possible to calculate what proportion this is of the total equipment now used by the Royal Air Force, but it is certainly small.

Mr. Beswick

Is it not the fact that special conditions were attached to this equipment when it was supplied? Is any attempt made to segregate these items of equipment? If they are so segregated, does that not amount to the position that we cannot use these items for the Royal Air Force without a chit from the United States?

Mr. Birch

That is a different question, and was effectively answered by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Defence the other day.

Air Commodore Harvey

Will my right hon. Friend consider returning this equipment, or at least paying for it, to enable us to be masters of our own house?

Mr. Wigg

Will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind, before undertaking that course of action, that 515 Hunters out of 1,100, 100 Sea Hawks, all the Avengers, all the Sky Raiders and all the helicopters used in recent operations were supplied under American off-shore purchase arrangements?

Mr. Birch

I think that the hon. Member is referring mostly to naval aircraft, but his figures are extremely misleading.