§ 1. Mr. Swinglerasked the Secretary of State for Air if, in the light of the information supplied to him by the hon. Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme on 5th February, he will investigate the state of No. 30 Maintenance Unit with a view to finding ways of fully employing the manpower and resources there.
§ The Secretary of State for Air (Mr. George Ward)As a result of the transfer of major m/t repairs to industry and of the reallocation of the remaining repair and salvage commitment to other units, the establishment of the maintenance unit at Stoke Heath has been reduced by 27 officers, some 1,100 airmen and approximately 10 civilians. The strength is now being run down to conform with the revised establishment. In view of the contraction of Maintenance Command, I do not at present see any likelihood of allocating additional work to this unit.
§ Mr. SwinglerIs not it a fact that there have been both valuable machines and men idle at this unit for some months now? Cannot action be taken more quickly to dispose of the machine tools that are said to be kept there doing 1243 nothing, and apparently not required at the unit, and to make a quicker redeployment of forces because of the wastage that is going on?