HC Deb 15 May 1957 vol 570 cc392-4
40. Mr. Beswick

asked the Secretary of State for Air what discussions he has had with representatives of independent air operators about the use for trooping purposes of the three Britannia aircraft now on order by the Government.

Mr. Ward

I would refer the hon. Member to the statement I made on this subject in introducing the Air Estimates last Thursday.

Mr. Beswick

Are we to understand from what was said last Thursday that it is now the intention of the Government to supply the private commercial companies with aircraft with which to conduct these trooping operations? If it be now the position that the nation supplies the passengers, in the form of troops, the nation is also going to supply aircraft, and the nation has its own Transport Command and its own Air Corporations, what possible justification remains now for putting out these contracts to private companies?

Mr. Ward

I think that I made it quite clear in my speech last Thursday that we wanted a strategic reserve of airlift in the civil companies.

Mr. de Freitas

But is it not a scandal if public money is to be used to underwrite the private operators, when these very same publicly-owned aircraft could be used for trooping by the Royal Air Force or by the well-experienced publicly-owned Corporations?

Mr. Ward

We hope that perhaps one of the independent corporations may wish to buy these planes.

Mr. Beswick

Would the Secretary of State explain what he means by his last statement, that one of the air corporation would perhaps buy—

Mr. Ward

The independent companies.

Mr. Beswick

But if it be the case that the independent companies cannot buy these aircraft, and if the whole case for the previous policy, that by giving trooping contracts we were building up a strategic reserve, has gone by the board, and the Government are now to supply the aircraft, why cannot we allow the Corporations or Transport Command to operate these services?

Mr. Ward

We want the civil air charter companies to do trooping for us.

Mr. Beswick

Why?

Mr. Ward

We are making available to them aircraft in which they can do trooping to the Far East, because they have the proper range. That is the policy by which we shall build up our strategic reserve of airlift.

Mr. de Freitas

Will the right hon. Gentleman look at this matter again, because this backhanded way of subsidising the private operators is profoundly unsatisfactory?

Mr. J. Griffiths

Are we to take it that it is now Government policy, particularly in this case, to subsidise private enterprise out of public funds?

Mr. Ward

There is no question of subsidy.

Mr. Griffiths

Jobs for the boys. Money for the boys.

Mr. Beswick

In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I beg to give notice that I shall raise the matter on the Adjournment of the House at the earliest opportunity.