HC Deb 29 October 1956 vol 558 cc1041-2
5. Mr. de Freitas

asked the Minister of Supply how many Royal Air Force officers are attached to his Department and establishments.

Mr. Maudling

Six hundred and forty-one, including 456 at establishments.

Mr. de Freitas

In view of the shortage of officers of this experience in the Royal Air Force, will the Minister look carefully to see whether it is not a fact that some of these experienced officers are being used on projects which merely duplicate work done by our N.A.T.O. Allies, and especially the United States?

Mr. Maudling

I am grateful to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Air for making these very valuable officers available to me. I have very much in mind the point raised by the hon. Member about duplication with our Allies and can assure him that we are making every effort we can to avoid duplication of weapon development with our Allies. It is, however, a fairly wide question which the hon. Member has raised.