Oral Answers to Questions — Royal Air Force. – in the House of Commons at on 19 November 1941.
Mr Oliver Simmonds
, Birmingham Duddeston
asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he will state the approximate percentage of night bombers, now being used for raiding Germany, which are fitted with de-icing equipment for wings, tailplane and airscrews?
Sir Archibald Sinclair
, Caithness and Sutherland
Protection against icing is given in various ways to all of our night bombers flying over Germany, but it would not be in the public interest to give details.
Mr Oliver Simmonds
, Birmingham Duddeston
Would my right hon. Friend bear in mind that hon. Members in all parts of the House have from time to time stressed the importance of this matter, and will he personally look into the question to see whether matters are even now not as satisfactory as his reply seems to indicate?
Sir Archibald Sinclair
, Caithness and Sutherland
I should be very sorry if my reply indicated that matters were not satisfactory. I can assure the House that we are constantly improving our de-icing arrangements.
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
