§ 21. Sir G. Foxasked the Secretary of State for Air how many omnibuses are used each day to bring employees to the 152W site of 70 M.U., Goring Heath; what is the cost; and how many employees were carried in April.
§ Mr. P. Noel-BakerEleven omnibuses are used to bring employees to No. 70 Maintenance Unit. Eight of the eleven are Service vehicles. The cost is about £12 a day, of which approximately four-fifths is paid by the employees themselves. During April, the number of people using these omnibuses was about 320 a day.
§ 22. Sir G. Foxasked the Secretary of State for Air why vast dumps of material lie at the sides of the road at 70 M.U., Goring Heath.
§ Mr. P. Noel-BakerNo. 70 Maintenance Unit, Goring Heath, is a ground equipment depot. Unfortunately, there is not enough covered space for all the stores which the Unit has to hold; those which are least liable to deteriorate, therefore, are kept in the open. Where it is necessary tarpaulins are used.
§ 23. Sir G. Foxasked the Secretary of State for Air what is the number of civilian employees at 70 M.U., Goring Heath; the number of these housed in Government houses and the number occupying civilian residences; and whether recommendations have been made to the Henley Rural District Council to increase the allotment of council houses at Whitchurch.
§ Mr. P. Noel-BakerFour hundred and eighty-four civilians are employed at No. 70 Maintenance Unit at Goring Heath. None of them live in Government-owned houses. My Department has not asked the Henley Rural District Council to allot more council houses at Whitchurch to people in Air Ministry employ.
§ Sir G. Foxasked the Secretary of State for Air the annual cost of 70 M.U., Goring Heath, indicating rent, maintenance and wages; and what was the capital cost of erecting the tin shanties.
§ Mr. P. Noel-BakerThe annual cost of No. 70 Maintenance Unit is as follows: Compensation rental, £100; maintenance, £5,000; salaries and wages, £125,000; total, £130,100. The cost of building the storage sheds was £200,000.
§ Sir G. Foxasked the Secretary of State for Air what is the number of R.A.F. police and Air Ministry wardens, respectively, allocated to 70 M.U. Goring Heath; the number of R.A.F. officers, 153W other ranks and civilians employed there; and the estimated value of the goods stored.
§ Mr. P. Noel-BakerThe numbers at present employed at No. 70 Maintenance Unit are as follow; R.A.F. police, nil; Air Ministry constabulary, 27; R.A.F. officers, 10; airmen, 3; civilians, 484 (including 23 part-time). The value of the goods stored at this depot is about £2,000,000.