Major Lloydasked the Secretary of State for Air what was the cost involved in sending a specialised crew to install Eclipse Beam equipment at Renfrew Aerodrome in connection with the recent visit of the Prime Minister; and why this special equipment was necessary, especially as the Renfrew authorities had been told it was unobtainable.
§ Mr. P. Noel-BakerTransport Command sent a mobile Eureka beacon to Renfrew on 21st July to help the pilot who flew the Prime Minister to Scotland. The beacon, with a mechanic, was flown to Abbotsinch; it was sent from there by road to Renfrew in a vehicle belonging to the R.A.F. The aircraft which flew the beacon and the mechanic was on a normal training flight; the mechanic, and the driver of the road vehicle, were on normal Service duties the mechanic stayed with friends and claimed no expenses for lodging or subsistence; the only extra cost involved in this safety precaution was, therefore, the petrol for the road journey from Abbotsinch to Renfrew, a distance of one mile and a half. The Eureka beacon is not generally used by civil aircraft, and is not, therefore, required at Renfrew, where blind approach equipment is being installed.