Blue Steel Missile
asked the Secretary of State for Air if it is still his intention to equip Royal Air Force V Bombers with the Blue Steel missile; and what progress is being made in its development.
Yes, the missile will be in service later this year.
U2 Aircraft
asked the Secretary of State for Air if he will take steps to suspend all flights of U2s from British bases during the Cuban crisis.
No. The only U2 aircraft operating from British bases are engaged on atmospheric sampling and high altitude weather research. Their flights are over international waters in the North Atlantic area and do not violate any national frontiers. They are thus entirely peaceful and I can see no reason for interfering with them.
asked the Secretary of State for Air what agreement he has reached with the United States Government regarding the stationing of U2 aircraft in this country; what is their type of patrol; and when he expects they will have completed their mission.
We have agreed to a small detachment of U2 aircraft being stationed temporarily in this country for the purpose of engaging on atmospheric sampling and high-altitude weather research. The flights of the aircraft are notified to the appropriate air traffic control authorities in accordance with normal international regulations. In the course of the flights air samples are collected to determine the concentration of radioactive debris introduced into the stratosphere by nuclear tests.
The duration of the detachment will depend on the progress made with their programme and this in turn will depend to a large extent on how long the Soviet Union continue their current series of tests.
Aircraft Procurement (Committee's Report)
asked the Secretary of State for Air what steps he is taking in conjunction with the Ministry of Aviation to comply with the Estimates Committee recommendation that the whole system of procuring military aircraft for the Royal Air Force should be reviewed immediately.
The observations of the Minister of Aviation and my predecessor, published in the Twelfth Special Report from the Estimates Committee (Session 1961–62), record that the system of aircraft procurement has been reviewed as recommended by the Estimates Committee.
Thor Missile Sites
asked the Secretary of State for Air when he intends to start dismantling the Thor missile sites in this country.
I have nothing to add to the reply which my right hon. Friend the Minister of Defence gave in the House on 1st August.
Eurocontrol Convention
asked the Minister of Aviation whether the United Kingdom has yet ratified the Eurocontrol Convention of December, 1960.
Her Majesty's Government ratified this Convention on 3rd August, 1962.
Racial Discrimination
asked the First Secretary of State if he is aware that racial discrimination is being practised against non-Africans in Nyasaland, particularly in education and sport; whether he will take steps to halt this trend; and if he will make a statement.
I will write to the hon. Member as soon as I have full information, for which I am asking the Governor.
Air Ministry and War Office Work
asked the Minister of Public Building and Works how many staff and what work is involved in the transfer to his Department of responsibility for the maintenance of the Air Ministry and War Office; and what is the cost to his Department.
Details of the transfer are still being worked out, and I cannot yet give definite figures. The total value of work, including new works, is of the order of £125 million a year. There are at present some 6,300 professional and technical staff engaged on this work, and other non-industrial staff whose numbers have not yet been determined. Industrial staff number about 36,000, including people locally engaged overseas. I cannot yet estimate the annual cost of staff who will be transferred.
First-Feature Films
asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the probability that, for cinema exhibitors who do not have access to either of the main release programmes for their first-feature films, there may be too few first-feature films available in 1963 to enable them to fulfil their quota obligations; and what consideration he has given to this difficulty.
At my request the Cinematograph Films Council has considered this matter and I have asked the Council to keep the position under constant review. Should it advise me that, contrary to present expectations, insufficient new British first-feature films of acceptable quality have been available to these exhibitors I will not hesitate to issue in appropriate cases certificates under Section 1 (4) of the Films Act, 1960, that failure to achieve quota has been due to circumstances beyond the exhibitors' control.
Government-Financed Factories, Sunderland
asked the President of the Board of Trade how much space there is in Government-financed factories in Sunderland available but at present unused.
None.