HC Deb 26 April 1977 vol 930 cc1011-3
7. Mr. Brotherton

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will pay an official visit to RAF Binbrook.

The Under-Secretary of State for Defence for the Royal Air Force (Mr. James Wellbeloved)

My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so at present.

Mr. Brotherton

If the Secretary of State or the Under-Secretary goes to RAF Binbrook, or to any other Air Force station, will thought be given to the problem of payment of rent for married quarters, especially for the more junior ranks at RAF Binbrook and many other Air Force stations throughout the country? Is the hon. Gentleman aware that many of the junior airmen are having to claim rent rebates and cannot afford to switch on such things as night storage central heating? Does he not consider such a situation to be a disgrace?

Mr. Wellbeloved

Quartering charges are a matter that is under review. It has been under review by the Armed Forces Pay Review Body, and I have no doubt that an announcement will be made shortly. The criteria used by the Review Body have been used under successive Administrations and we have not changed anything. The RAF and the Ministry of Defence are carrying out considerable improvements in respect of thermal insulation of buildings, and we hope that that will go a long way towards solving some of the heating problems to which the hon. Gentleman has referred.

Mr. Churchill

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that last year his Department behaved in a way that even the worst Rachmanite landlords would have been shy of—namely, giving a retrospective rent increase more than one month back dated? Will he give the House and the Armed Forces an assurance that that will not be repeated this year?

Mr. Wellbeloved

The Armed Forces Pay Review Body, which covers these matters, issues its report some time after 1st April. Any pay increases or quartering charges will be laid down by the report. I repudiate entirely that the Ministry of Defence, either in the Air Force Department or any other Department, acts in a scandalous way. If the hon. Gentleman really wants to do a service to the Armed Forces, perhaps he will try to act more responsibly in the way in which he conducts himself in Parliament.

Mr. Gwilym Roberts

While I accept that Conservative Members are not the friends of the other ranks in the forces or anywhere else, may I ask my hon. Friend whether he agrees that it might be possible to reduce the rents of houses for other ranks by trying to get rid of some of the excess housing stock which the Department holds in various parts of the country, some of which has been empty for a long time?

Mr. Wellbeloved

I do not accept that either side of the House has a monopoly of compassion and care for our Armed Forces. The Ministry is taking big steps to try to dispose of property which is surplus to our requirements.