§ 42. Mr. de Freitasasked the Secretary of State for Air how many of the United States Thor missiles in this country are operational; and how many are expected to be operational by mid-summer.
§ Mr. NeaveThe position remains as I described it in reply to a supplementary question from the hon. Member on 22nd April.
§ Mr. de FreitasIs the Under-Secretary of State aware that, as a result of the terms of the agreement which the Minister of Defence made with the United States Government and which my hon. Friends and I opposed at the time, the efficiency of the Royal Air Force is now being called into question in the party battles in the United States, with contradictory statements by Ministers, senators and generals? Is it not very unsettling to the Royal Air Force units who have to work this ridiculous agreement that there should be all these statements? Can nothing be done to clear up the position once and for all?
§ Mr. NeaveWith regard to statements which have been recently made in the United States, I think that I should tell the House that the Secretary of the United States Air Force has recently been in this country. He visited the first Thor sites last week and expressed satisfaction and congratulations on the progress which had been made. I have repeatedly said to the House that we must await the results of the present trials of this weapon.