CLAUSE 3.—(Short Title and Duration.) (Hansard, 21 February 1919)

§ Lieutenant-Colonel MOORE-BRABAZON
I want to ask one or two questions. The first is as to the Conference in Paris on air matters. Can the right hon. Gentleman give us an assurance that the civil side will be adequately represented there as well as the naval and military? In the second place, I understand the Air Ministry has a very generous scheme of air routes and aerodromes, as well as for inspection and certification. I want to know from the right hon. Gentleman whether that is to be a self-supporting organisation, and whether there is to be a charge on the companies actually using the aerodromes? I see a danger that the Air Ministry may have very good intentions, but the Treasury may not agree, and I want an assurance that Treasury agreement will be secured for any scheme the Air Ministry may put forward for the benefit of aviation.

§ Major-General SEELY
My hon. and gallant Friend asks me, in the first place, whether the civil side of aviation will be properly represented at the Conference in Paris. It will be, to an ever-increasing degree, aviation business will become civil rather than military, and if all goes well civil aviation will become the main business of the Air Ministry. It will become of far greater importance than the military side. For the moment, of course, the military side engages far more attention, because we are still at war, but the moment we get peace then we may look forward with certainty to an immense advance in aerial travel; therefore the greater part of the time of the Air Ministry will be taken up with questions of that kind. Major-General Sykes, now 1332 the Controller-General of Civil Aviation, is the member in charge of the negotiations there on the civil side, while General Trenchard will deal with the military side of the question. My hon. and gallant Friend also asks with regard to our policy respecting aerodromes, and I gladly answer his question on that point. We want the assistance of the House in carrying out the policy which it is our object to pursue. We want to make flying much more safe by providing a large number of aerodromes, some of which are now military aerodromes, and will be so used, and some of which will be civil aerodromes. My hon. Friend asked a specific question—who is to pay for them? The military will, of course, pay the whole of the expense of the military aerodromes, and in the case of those military aerodromes which will be exclusively confined to the military, except, of course, in cases of forced landings, there, of course, the whole cost will fall upon the State.
In the case of purely civil aerodromes I think we must show the way in providing them, but I hope that before long they will become entirely self-supporting and involve no cost to the State, except so far as we find it convenient to retain the right to land in them, and for that, of course, we shall pay. But on this topic I would not like to be asked to pledge myself more definitely. We propose, and wish to promote, air travel by every possible means, and if anybody can show us a plan by which it can be made easier, safer and better, not only on these Islands, but in crossing the sea and communicating with our Dominions, we shall do our utmost to carry it out. Air travel has made considerable advance since the last occasion I spoke upon it in this House. One of our ships has been travelling in the air for 101 hours, and the speed, although it has not been conclusively computed, is estimated to have been 50 miles an hour. That means it covered a distance of over 5,000 miles, and it is possible that, with continuous speed, it was more than that. During the voyage considerable winds were met. We are far less afraid of storms in the air than any ship is on the sea, whether we are in lighter-or heavier-than-air machines. There is none of the danger of the heavy overfall of a following sea. The prospect is very favourable—more favourable day by day. I can promise the hon. and gallant Gentleman that 1333 anything we can do at the Air Ministry we will not fail to do, and we shall rely upon the assistance of hon. Gentlemen in this House and ask them to bring anything to our notice which can help in the forward movement. We can promise, so far as the Treasury will permit, that we will do everything possible to ensure the future and safety of civilian flying.

§ Lieutenant-Colonel MOORE-BRABAZON
Will the right hon. Gentleman state whether inspection on certification will be a State charge?

§ Major-General SEELY
I confess I have no answer ready to that question. We shall certainly do nothing to hinder the industry. I do not carry in my mind the rule with regard to ships, but I should think it would be reasonable to adopt a similar rule. If anyone in the House can elucidate the question and produce a suggestion, we shall be glad to consider it. For the moment I do not think it is laid down in the Regulations.

Lieutenant-Colonel MALONE
In spite of what the right hon. Gentleman has said, I have before me a particular case which does not agree with his statement. A large commercial body submitted a scheme to the Air Ministry in which they desired assistance in opening up a route between certain districts. They received a memorandum in reply from the Air Ministry which terminated in a lot of platitudes. It said: The whole scheme would need careful investigation. No doubt there are difficulties. Indeed from the financial point of view it appears doubtful. No conclusion was advised or arrived at. In a subsequent communication on this matter the authors of the scheme said: If Britain does not arrange a service in this locality France will. I should like to bring this matter to the notice of the right hon. Gentleman, in order to ensure that something a good deal more definite arid specific may be given to these commercial bodies who seek assistance.

§ Major-General SEELY
What is the date of that?

Lieutenant-Colonel MALONE
19th February.