§ 2. Mr. Wiseasked the Paymaster-General if he is satisfied with the arrangements for the co-ordination of Government statements on the role and effectiveness of the Royal Air Force; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WiseIs the right hon. Gentleman really satisfied with his Answer, seeing that quite recently the Prime Minister announced that the V-bomber force was grievously crippled by the loss of the Valiant bomber, and the Minister of Defence only a fortnight later said that no such loss was evident at all? Those two statements were directly contradictory.
§ Mr. WiggI suggest that the hon. Gentleman clears up his difficulties by putting down a Question to my right hon. Friend the Minister of Defence.
§ Mr. ShinwellIs my right hon. Friend aware that although he is satisfied, it is obvious that hon. Gentlemen opposite are dissatisfied, but we do not know what they are dissatisfied about?
§ Mr. WiggI agree with my right hon. Friend. Part of the trouble with hon. Gentlemen opposite is that they do not understand what happened during the last 13 years.
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. Perhaps it is as well if Ministers remember that, prima facie, answers should be confined to the points raised by the question.
§ Mr. Hugh FraserMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman to take his duties slightly more seriously? I think he will be aware that the Royal Air Force is going through a difficult phase at the moment. Any denigration of the rôle or capacity of the Royal Air Force is much resented by the Service. The right hon. Gentleman may have noticed that only yesterday the Royal Australian Air Force had on its list more than 1,000 volunteers ready to leave this country.
§ Mr. Hugh FraserThe right hon. Gentleman must be aware of what is happening.
§ Mr. WiggThe right hon. Gentleman knows that the responsibility for answering this question is a matter for the Secretary of State for Defence, or the Under-Secretary of State for Defence for the Royal Air Force.