§ 58. Mr. de Freitasasked the Minister of Supply, in respect of which Royal Air Force transport aircraft there are contracts for spare parts; and in what year each of these types entered squadron service.
§ Mr. Aubrey JonesThere are current spare parts contracts for all transport aircraft in service in the Royal Air Force. These aircraft are the Beverley and the Comet which entered squadron service in 1956; the Hastings and the Valetta in 1948; the Viking in 1946; and the Dakota which came into service during the war. In addition, there are spare parts on order for the Britannia which is not yet in service with the Royal Air Force.
§ Mr. de FreitasIs it not a fact that it becomes increasingly expensive to maintain these old transport aircraft, and is it not time that the Minister used his influence with the Air Ministry to see 30 that the old, out-of-date aircraft are scrapped and replaced by more modern ones considerably cheaper to maintain?
§ Mr. JonesAs I have told the hon. Gentleman on more than one occasion, I have as yet no requirement for a new transport aircraft.