FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1942
1942 - 1752.PDF
206 FLIGHT AUGU-T 2OTH, IQ42 IN PARLIAMENT Shoulder Flash Difficulties : R.A.F. Private Petrol Ration : Meetings in Protected Places : Going "Foreign" in Britain : Considering the Small Builder Colonials' Shoulder Flashes Capt. Cammans asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he is prepared to reconsider his decision and allow men who have come from the Crown Colonies to wear a shoulder flash bearing the nme of their Colony and thus follow the practice accorded to men from the Dominions and the United States of America. Capt. McEwen (Lord of the Treasury): 1 have been asked to reply. This sug gestion has been considered on several occasions and is again under con sideration at the present time. The administrative and other difficulties are, however, considerable and may prove to be insurmountable. My hon. and gallant Friend will be informed of the outcome in due course. Petrol Allowance for R.A.F. Fit. Lt. Boothby asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he will consider the possibility of issuing a basic petrol allowance to the Royal Air Force of 200 miles a quarter, instead of the present allowance of 250 miles for leave only. Capt. McEwen : No, Sir. My right hon Friend regrets that he does hot feel that an increase in the existing scale of allowance would be justifiable in present circumstances. Fit. Lt. Boothby .' Will my hon. and gallant Friend ask his right hon. Friend to consider the possibility of issuing an even lower mileage allowance than that suggested in the question if the supplies of petrol are limited, on the grounds that it would be very much more useful to Air Force personnel employed on stations, which are often isolated, as against using petrol for leave purposes which is both extravagant ' and unnecessary? • Capt. McEwen : Yes, Sir. Factory Literature and Meetings Mr. David Adams asked the Secretary of State for Air whether l.e is aware that certain workers in an aircraft fac tory which had been declared a protected place were prosecuted on May 26 for distributing literature in the factory which entailed dismissal upon the grounds of serious misconduct; and whether the customary right of the workers to distribute literature and to hold meetings will be preserved in such protected places in future. The Secretary of State for Air (Sir Archibald Sinclair): Yes, Sir. The directions which my hon. friend has in mind are of common application to all factories which are protected places, and they have b?en made in the interests of war production. They prohibit the dis tribution ot literature with certain excep tions, such as works notices, works magazines, trade union journals and publications and Government publica tions. They also prohibit the holding of meetings in protected places without permission. Mr. Adams: Is it a matter of serious urgency to stop the old privileges of the workmen to have a meeting and distri bute their own literature relating to shops stewards? Sir A. Sinclair: These orders have long been in operation. They are in the in terests of war production, and they have never been challenged. Posting Airmen Mr. Liddall asked the Secretary of State for Air whether in future postings to stations in these islands more regard will be had to the locale of the men's home so that Highland Scots will no longer be posted .to the South of England while Southern Englishmen are posted to remote parts of Scotland. Sir A. Sinclair: I "would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Chislehurst (Sir W. Smithers) on May 5th. Mr. Liddall: Does not my right hon. Frien'd agree that, psychologically, this is a very bad thing? Many men find themselves posted to parts where they feel that they are in a foreign land, the language of which they do not under stand. Does he not feel that he should consider this question of long railway journeys and the unnecessary use of rail way accommodation, with this useless expenditure of time and money ? Sir A. Sinclair: Initial postings are de cided by the requirements of the Service on the one hand and the qualifications of the individual on the other. Once the initial postings have been made, changes are avoided as much as possible; but in making these postings we consider, as far as possible, the posting of a man near to his home; and after the initial posting has been made, if a man has good com passionate grounds for asking for posting to his home, we do our best to meet his requirements. Mr. Liddall: Why should a Cockney be posted to a remote Scottish island? Building Contracts Mr. Lipson asked the Secretary of State for Air why, in placing contracts for several million pounds recently, the Builders' Emergency Organisation, set up by the Ministry of Works and Plan ning, has been ignored; why local builders were not given the opportunity to tender; and why the contracts were all given to a few firms, such as Wimpey's and McAlpine's and their sub sidiaries ? Sir A. Sinclair: The contracts to which I assume the hon. Member refers were placed after consultation with the Ministry of Works and Planning, who consult the Builders' Emergency Organ isation whenever they think it appro priate. Of the 52 firms invited to sub mit tenders, 15 were local firms. Of the 22 contracts allotted, six were allotted to Wimpey and two to McAlpine. So far as I know, the 12 successful tenderers in the case of the remaining 14 contracts included no subsidiaries of these two firms. Mr. Lipson: Is my right hon. Friend aware that many of these contracts were placed without the Builders' Emergency Organisation being consulted; and that in many areas local builders were not allowed to tender, and that they have a feeling that this policy, if persisted in, will drive them out of business? Sir A. Sinclair: No, Sir. On these large contracts it is my duty to consult with the Ministry of Works and Plan ning, and it is for them to decide whether it is appropriate to consult the Builders' Emergency Organisation or not. In tlJjP case of smaller contracts, of ^20,000 or less, which my officers have power to allot, we do consult the Builders' Emer gency Organisation. Mr. Lipson: Have the arrangements for the placing of these contracts the approval of the Ministry of Works and Planning ? Sir A. Sinclair: Yes; I said that we consulted the Ministry of Works and Planning. Capt. Sir Derrick Cunston asked the Secretary of State for Air whether, in placing contracts with a few large firms only, he is satisfied that he has carried out the undertaking given to this House some time ago that local builders would be given the opportunity for contracting in their area; and is he aware that many local builders are losing their employees to the larger contractors? Sir A. Sinclair: It is not the general practice of the Air Ministry to place con tracts with a few large firms only. When tenders are invited, every consideration is given to the claims of local firms cap able of executing the work. If such firms submit satisfactory quotations they are given contracts" The transfer and distribution of labour generally is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour and National Service. Sir D. Gunston: Is not my right hon^ Friend aware that in many cases smV.f firms, owing to the Ministry giving work to the large firms, lose their machinery and their men, who are very often trans ferred to the large firms and find that they have no work to do for many days ? Sir A. Sinclair: We are only anxious to get the work done, and we have to get it done at the lowest rate we can, but we have to choose the firm which we know- has the power and the experience to enable it to get important work done in time for the operations for which it is required. Mr. Leslie: Is it not a fact that many of these large firms have not the plant and that they commandeer it? Mr. McKinley: How does the right hon. Gentleman ascertain the cheapest contract that is possible? Sir D. Gunslon: Is my right hon. Friend prepared to receive a deputation on this matter, which is very important? Sir A. Sinclair: Certainly, I am always ready to discuss these matters with rny hon. Friends.
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
