§ 6. Mr. Liptonasked the Secretary of State for Air how many Royal Air Force and Women's Royal Air Force personnel are employed at Chequers; on what duties they are engaged; and what is the total annual cost to public funds.
§ Mr. AmeryThirteen members of the Women's Royal Air Force work at Chequers as cooks and stewardesses.
The gross annual cost to air votes is £7,500, but the Chequers Trust repays £600 a year and the cost of food for the W.R.A.F. personnel, which is about £950 a year.
§ Mr. LiptonIn view of the comparatively few week-ends in the year when the Prime Minister is at Chequers, is not this a scandalous waste of public money and woman power? Would not there be a substantial economy if part-time civilian domestic staff were hired for the odd week-ends?
§ Mr. AmeryNo. This subject has been studied on several occasions and we are satisfied that this is the best way to run Chequers.
§ Sir A. V. HarveyHow do these figures compare with the figures applicable during the period when the then Mr. Attlee was the incumbent at Chequers?
§ Mr. AmeryThe figures repaid from the Trust were £800 and £600, but I have not got details of the total cost here. I can tell the House one interesting difference. Today the members of the W.R.A.F. are all volunteers. At that time it was in the hands of another Service and they had to be drafted.
§ Mr. S. SilvermanWill the right hon. Gentleman explain to the House why this is the business of the Royal Air Force? What has it got to do with this?
§ Mr. AmeryThat is very easy to explain. The Services have taken it in turns since the war. On security grounds it was thought better during the war that the Services should run the establishment, and it has continued on that basis ever since. I think that there are very good grounds for it.
§ Mr. LiptonIn view of the unsatisfactory reply, I beg to give notice that I shall raise the matter on the Adjournment.