HC Deb 30 April 1919 vol 115 cc149-51
20. Mr. JOYNSON-HICKS

asked the Under-Secretary of State to the Air Ministry whether he can now make a statement as to the staff and work of the Civil Aviation Department?

Mr. PRATT

The provisional staff for the Department of Civil Aviation has been put forward by the Controller-General and his proposals are now being considered by the Re-organisation Committee preparatory to obtaining Treasury sanction for the organisation as a whole.

Meantime provisional Treasury sanction has been obtained for some of the higher posts in the Department and the Controller-General is carrying on with a nucleus staff lent by the Royal Air Force and composed of officers who have during the War gained the necessary experience in the various directions required.

The work which the Department of Civil Aviation will at present undertake may be broadly divided into four heads, of which I am circulating a full description in the OFFICIAL REPORT, as it is too long for oral answer.

The following is the description referred to in the last paragraph of the foregoing answer:

  1. (i.) For general consideration, co-ordination and planning, including that of air routes both at home and abroad. For examining and advising on the broad aspects of schemes for commercial aviation. The branch will have two main subdivisions; one to deal with questions concerning the United Kingdom and the other with similar matters arising overseas.
  2. (ii.) To obtain, co-ordinate and issue technical and non-technical information of value to the industry and the other branches of the Department through the Controller-General to supply information to the Royal Air Force and all other services concerned. In this branch three sub-divisions are being formed; one to deal with non-technical information; the second with technical subjects, and the third to co-ordinate and issue information of every kind and to deal with publicity generally.
  3. (iii.) The third branch will be known as the "Communications" Branch, and its duties will consist in giving technical advice and assistance to aerial navigation in regard to navigation questions and all forms of signals and communications, including wireless, directional and otherwise, visual signals and land lines. This branch will also be responsible for work in connection with aerial surveys and for the preparation and issue of special maps and charts necessary for aerial nevigation. It will have two main sub-divisions, one to deal with signals in a broad sense, and the other with navigation, charts, maps and survey.
  4. (iv.) The fourth branch will deal with questions relating to the inspection and organisation of all aerodromes used for civil purposes, and with the licensing and registration of aerodromes, aircraft, pilots, and technical personnel employed in civil aviation. It will also carry out the investigation of accidents and their causes and the compilation of technical 151 reports and records relating to this subject. This branch will have three main divisions. The first will deal with the inspection and organisation of aerodromes, and airship and seaplane stations; the second with the licensing and registration of aerodromes, aircraft, and personnel; and the third with accidents.

In addition to these four branches it is proposed that there should be a Meteorological Section directly under the Controller-General. This section would deal with the location and supervision of local meteorological centres and stations, the issue of forecasts, warnings, and upper-air information, and generally with the meteorology of air routes. It would also carry out special investigations into climatic conditions generally, taking care to co-ordinate its operations with any other services concerned. At present the general question of the organisation of the meteorological services is under consideration by the Cabinet, but pending a decision the Controller-General has taken over the meteorological branch which served the Royal Air Force during the War, and the personnel of this branch are being lent provisionally to his Department, which supplies all information required by the Royal Air Force.