§ 7.12 p.m.
§ THE MINISTER OF CIVIL AVIATION (LORD WINSTER)My Lords, before the House adjourns, I venture to ask if I may be allowed to detain your Lordships for one or two moments in order to make a statement on flying boat bases. That is a course with which, I believe, the noble Viscount, Lord Swinton, is in agreement. I should like to apologize to the noble Viscount for not: being in my place earlier this afternoon when he wished to put a question, but the circumstances were beyond my control, 687 and the noble Viscount has most kindly and courteously accepted my explanation. The statement which I have to make is as follows:—
On taking office one of the questions which I had to consider was that of the future of the flying boat. There were some, I do not include the noble Viscount amongst them, who were of opinion that the day of the flying boat was over, or at any rate, passing. I gave the matter most careful consideration, and in doing so was influenced by what seemed to me three important factors, namely, the geography of our Commonwealth and its water spaces, the application of gas turbine propulsion to flying boats, which would reduce their handicap of lack of speed, and the great comfort which can be provided. I used a flying boat for my visit to Australia and New Zealand in order that I might have practical experience.
I came to the conclusion that it is too early to say there is no place for the flying boat in the future of civil aviation. We have placed an order with Saunders Roe for three large flying boats powered with gas turbines, and we are supplementing the Lancastrian service to Australia by a flying boat service.
As these steps have been taken it is necessary to consider a permanent marine base for flying boats to take the place of the present interim arrangements. Several proposals have been put forward advocating the merits of particular sites. Only one can be chosen, and there will naturally be disappointment amongst the rejected, as local interests will be considerably involved. It therefore seems to me desirable that the matter should be decided by a completely impartial committee. There are three main aspects of the question; namely:—the characteristics of our future aircraft, on which the makers are the experts, the requirements of the operators (which, of course, include giving the public the service which it desires) and the considerations of defence. I am happy to say that my noble friend Viscount Stansgate has most kindly consented to Air Marshal Slatter, the Commander-in-Chief of Coastal Command, servingon the Committee, and I have also been fortunate in securing the assistance of Mr. Gouge, of Saunders-Roe, and of Major Thornton, as representative of B.O.A.C., who are 688 the sole operators of flying boats in this country. These names having been settled, my next task was to find a chairman. For this purpose I considered that the work of the committee could be best helped by a chairman with the particular abilities of being able to get at the facts, to marshal the evidence, and to ensure that all appearing before the committee should have a full opportunity of stating their case. My noble friend, Lord Pakenham, has very kindly consented to serve as chairman, and I am sure your Lordships who have listened to his speeches with obvious appreciation of their quality will agree that I could not have made a better choice.
All the facts concerning the various sites proposed, are now available in my Ministry. There will therefore be no need for the Committee to occupy time in collecting data and I see no reason why the report should not be in my hands within a comparatively short time. The terms of reference of the Committee will be as follows:
"To review the proposals received for the establishment of a permanent base for civil flying boat services in the United Kingdom, and, before June 30, 1946, to make recommendations to the Minister of Civil Aviation as to the site offering the best advantages in the light of all available operational, civil engineering, cost, and other relevant data."
§ 7.18 p.m.
§ VISCOUNT SWINTONMy Lords, I am sure that the House will be glad that the Minister has now had the opportunity of making this full statement. We all fully realize that he was unable to be here earlier, and let me hasten to say his absence was not due to his having to fulfil a long-standing luncheon engagement. I am very glad that he has been able to make the announcement that he has made on this matter. I shall certainly give him my support for what my support is worth in maintaining an interest in flying boats. I do not in the least believe that the day of the flying boat is over. It is extremely comfortable to travel in and it gives one a satisfactory feeling of safety. Such is the accommodation it provides that you can almost have a bath in it, and at the end of your journey you can appear looking spruce or beautiful—spruce if you are a man, beautiful if you are a woman. The flying boat may have a great future for freight as well as for passengers. We 689 do not know what the competition may be for, after all, nobody has yet operated one of these vast land planes.
We in this country are fortunate in being the possessors of great knowledge of the building of flying boats. You could not have a better person than Mr. Gouge on this Committee, of which the Minister has spoken. In addition to having great knowledge of building flying boats, we have great experience in operating them, and it would be a very great mistake if we let this type of craft drop out prematurely or, many people will probably think, ever to drop out. I believe it is a very wise move to appoint a Committee. I think it is a very good Committee, not excluding the Chairman. He will have a very invidious task. He will be rather in the position of an M.P. who is asked to judge a baby competition in his own constituency. No wise M.P. ever does that or allows his wife to do it. But, joking apart, the noble Lord is all right, he has no need to be troubled. Certainly, he has every qualification for taking the chair on such a body.