convielionin the Air Force he has already Kingsley Wood has the gift of carrying
fon admiration and regard and his Tong Speech in the House. on what has Been and ipso be done for the RAF. was heard with 2 sympathy. not" diminished "by inevitable interjections from the Opposition.
Sir Thomas Inskip, Minister for Coordination of Defence, was himself largely onthe defensive, But his statement" that Since 1996, 1,000,000-ton cdefcieney im stoss! for the Ait Force and enough of the necessary aMfoys has been made up, was Welcomed, 3 iso his disclosure that the Government has deeumulated a store of rare metals and raw materials enough to last through a long war, The spain outlines of Sir Kingsley Wood's programme include £200,000,000 to be spent next year, as against this year's £ 120,000,000; and fighter planes are to be increased to 5,000 or 6,000. There has been some criticism. that this is a complete reversal of policy.
The provision of far more fighters than bombers is thought to be due to political rather than strategical reasons, in line with the Prime Minister's declaration that we are hot arming against anyone in particular, but only for defence, Obviously if you cannot and attack the enemy's aircraft factories, you are depriving yourself of an important part of your defences.
On this subject however, Sir Kingsley Wood emphasized that our "'counter-offensive forees which are essential components of our defences ure to be increased," and that means bombers. Exact figures he could not give for obvious reasons. But it is no secret that the Bristol Blenheim, the fastest bomber in the world, is now being supplied to the Air Force in large numbers every month.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.