HL Deb 28 July 1965 vol 268 cc1301-3

3.0 p.m.

LORD BOSSOM

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, seeing that both the Army and Royal Navy respectively have their Museums, to state whether they are going to create a Museum for the Royal Air Force; and whether it would not be possible to have this in one of the structures at street level in the Mall; or, if not there, whether there is any other place where the Museum of the Royal Air Force could be appropriately placed.]

THE MINISTER OF DEFENCE FOR THE ROYAL AIR FORCE (LORD SHACKLETON)

My Lords, proposals for the establishment of an R.A.F. Museum are being considered, and a good deal of preparatory and planning work is being done. We have not, however, yet been able to solve the problem of where the museum might be housed. A possibility which the Royal Air Force are actively considering is a building in the Mall, linked perhaps to a collection of historic aircraft in the country; but this building in the Mall is not a Government property, and it is not yet clear whether it could be obtained.

LORD BOSSOM

My Lords, while thanking the noble Lord for his reply, may I ask whether he is aware that the Royal Air Force already have the money to pay for this work—it would be about a quarter of a million pounds. Is the noble Lord aware that on March 9, 1964, it was promised in the House of Commons that a museum would be established for the Royal Air Force? We have one for the Army and one for the Navy. Why cannot we also have one for the Air Force?

LORD SHACKLETON

My Lords, I think the noble Lord knows where my personal interest lies. It is true that the Royal Air Force Committee, under the very energetic leadership of Sir Dermot Boyle, has succeeded in getting a good deal of money promised already, and there is a building which we believe would be very suitable. But, speaking on behalf of the Government, I must say that this is a matter in which other people have an interest, and the matter has yet to be settled.

LORD BOSSOM

My Lords, I again thank the noble Lord for that comment. Will he give the utmost consideration to letting the Air Force have a museum in the centre of London? The Army and the Navy have one; why cannot the Royal Air Force have one, too?

LORD SHACKLETON

I accept that the Royal Air Force has a very strong claim to have a museum in the centre of London. The Royal Air Force feels that its history has been deeply linked with London in the Battle of Britain, and this year, of course, we celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of that Battle. I can only say that I am as anxious as the noble Lord that the Royal Air Force should have a suitable site in the centre for a museum.

LORD BOSSOM

I thank the noble Lord very much.