§ Captain Pluggeasked the Minister of Aircraft Production whether, when the public subscribes a specific sum for the construction of specific aircraft, such aircraft is supplementary to the Government programme for the time being, or whether it means that the public finances some portion of such Government programme; and whether he can, for the public information, make a statement on the whole subject?
§ Colonel LlewellinWhile no gifts of money, however generous, can increase an aircraft programme which is already the maximum possible from the production capacity available, such gifts are credited to the Vote of my Ministry and are applied to the construction of aircraft in accordance with the donors' wishes. The Ministry has already received over £16,000,000 in large and small amounts812W from contributors, many of whom are overseas and have chosen this convenient and generous way of helping the Empire's war effort and of paying tribute to the great and gallant achievements of the Royal Air Force and of the Fleet Air Arm.