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Aviation History
1942
1942 - 0831.PDF
APRIL IOTH, 1942 FLIGHT 379 IN PARLIAMENT Extracts from the Official Records of Proceedings in the House on Matters of Interest to the Air Forces and Aircraft Industry Parachute Troops' Pay- Mr. Gallacher asked the Under-Secre tary of State for War what is the rate of pay of the paratroops? Mr. Sandys .' Subject to certain con ditions, parachute troops are paid the normal rates of their rank with an addi tion of 4s. a day for officers and 2s. a day for other ranks. Rank of F.A.A. Air Gunners Mr. Deny Me asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will give con sideration to the claim of air gunners in the^Fleet Air Arm that their rank should ~li& equivalent to that of air gunners in thtr Royal Air Force ? The First Lord of the Admiralty (Mr. A. V. Alexander) : This question has already been considered, and the view of the Admiralty is that the status of air gunners of the Fleet Air Arm, which I explained to the hon. Member on March* nth, is appropriate to their duties. Defence of Airfields Maj. Kimball asked the Under-Secre tary of State for War whether he is aware that considerable doubt exists as to the adequacy of the establishment strength of the units of the Royal Air Force Regiment now taking over airfield defences; and will he review these estab lishments before the Army personnel are withdrawn ? Mr. Sandys : No, Sir. The defence requirements of all airfields throughout the country have only very recently been reviewed by the War Office and the Air Ministry, and it was on the basis of this review that the establishment strength of the units, of the Royal Air Force Regiment were settled. "Naafi" Institutes Mr. Banfield asked the Under-Secre tary of State for War whether, in view of the number of recent prosecutions against managers and others associated with the Navy, Army and Air Force Insti tutes' canteens in various parts of the country, he will hold an enquiry into the administration of that organisation? Mr. Sandys : No, Sir. The Board of ' Management of the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes was reconstituted a year ago, and the prosecutions now taking place are due to the vigorous measures taken by the Board to stamp out mal practices. The Service Departments and the Ministry of Food have been kept fully informed throughout. Gift from the Congo Sir D. Gunston asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any statement to make regarding the sum"of £250,000 collected in the Belgian Congo and presented to His Majesty's Government for the purchase of fighter aircraft for the Royal Air Force ? Mr. Law : I am glad to have the opportunity of expressing the gratitude of His Majesty's Government for this most generous gift from the people of the Belgian Congo. My right hon. Friend, the Minister of Aircraft Produc tion, has already sent a message of appreciation to them. I understand that the money will be applied to the pur chase of nearly fifty fighter aircraft, to be flown by the Belgian fighter squadron which is operating in this country with so much distinction, and by the Belgian pilots who are serving so gallantly in other squadrons of the Royal Air Force. The aircraft will be named individually in accordance with the wishes of the people of the Belgian Congo. Boxer's Application Mr. R. C. Morrison asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that Tommy Farr, the boxer, since being in valided out of the Royal Air Force, has tried four times to get back into the Ser vices ; that he can prove his physical fitness; and whether his request to join one of the Fighting Services will now be granted ? Mr. Bevin : The answer to the first and second parts of the question is in the negative. If he applies to rejoin the Services as a volunteer, the decision will rest with the Service Department con cerned. Mr. Morrison : Has the right hon. Gentleman seen a public interview which this gentleman gave, in which he said that he was now in better condition than he had ever been and could fight 50 Germans, and that he had applied four times to go into the Army, the Navy or the Air Force, without success? Mr. Bevin : It is a settled policy, to which I propose to adhere strictly, that once a person is discharged from the Services for medical reasons, I, as Minister of Labour and National Service, do not propose to conscript him again. If he volunteers, it is open to the Ser vices to accept him or not. Mr. Evelyn Walkden : Has my right hon. Friend any information as to whether this man has actually volun teered four times? Is it not all bluff? Mr. Bevin : I have not. Army's Air Mail Mr. Gallacher asked the Postmaster- General whether, in the case of corre spondence addressed to Army Post Office 1625 and paid for at air-mail rates, de livery by air-mail is guaranteed; and, if not, will the difference between air mail and ordinary postage be refunded to the sender? Mr. W. S. Morrison: The Army Postal Service is not in a position to guarantee that correspondence addressed to an Army Post Office number will be des patched by air mail in all cases, since no air mail service may be in operation; but such correspondence, if appio- priately prepaid, is forwarded by air mail whenever possible. It is the prac tice to arrange to refund the difference between the air and the ordinary postage rate, on production of the cover, in any case where a letter has been prepaid for. but has not received, air transmission. I appreciate that this procedure is some what cumbersome and I propose to con sider, in collaboration with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for War, whether it is not possible to devise a system which, while complying with security requirements, is simple of opera tion. Economy in the R.A.F. Majcr Lyons asked the Secretary of State for Air what steps he has taken to ensure proper economy in the use of petrol, oil and tyres in respect of all road vehicles owned, used or operated by the Royal Air Force at home? Sir A. Sinclair: Regulations are in force throughout the Royal Air Force enjoining the strictest economy in the use by mechanical transport of petrol and oil and specifying the measures which are to be taken for ensuring that consumption is kept to the lowest prac ticable level. Thus, the use of mech anical transport is forbidden where adequate public transport services are available; and where the use of Service transport is unavoidable, vehicles of the lowest power suitable for the work in hand are to be employed. Runs are to be co-ordinated as far as possible in order to obviate unnecessary journeys. Instructions have also been issued in re gard to the conservation of tyres. These deal with such matters as care and main tenance; retreading and the technique of economical driving. The whole subject is under constant review. Billeting Allowances Colonel Mills asked the Secretary of State for Air what is the present rate of billeting allowances where other ranks of the Royal Air Force are billeted with subsistence; and what provision is made in these allowances for meals, light and heat, etc.; and whether he intends to review the rate to meet the rise in the cost ot living since the rate was first fixed ? Captain Ball'our: Following are the particulars of the rates payable to bil- letors for lodging and attendance, meals and certain extra services. The rates art- kept under, constant review. They are in line with those payable in respect of personnel of the Army and Navy and on the information before me I do not think that any further increase is justified at the present time. Lodging and attendance—iod. a night for the first airman and 8d. a night for each additional airman. Meals—Breakfast, 9d. Dinner, is. 2d. Tea, 3d. Supper, 5d. In addition, the householder may claim for extra services within the fol lowing maximum amounts: — Heating (October-May)—2s. 6d. a week per room for each room heated and actually occupied as a billet. Lighting—October-March : 6d. a week for each room occupied. April- September: 3d. a week for each room occupied. Baths—4d. a bath. Laundry of bedding—yd. a head a week.
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