30. Lieut.-Colonel MALONEasked the Under-Secretary of State to the Air Ministry, if he is yet in a position to make a statement concerning the findings of the Advisory Committee which is discussing the question of civil aviation?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for AIR (Major Tryon)As I explained in my reply on the 17th of this month to my hon. and gallant Friend, the Member for Norfolk, E., the recommendations of this Committee on the subject of Imperial air routes were published as Command Paper 449. A further Report of the same Committee on certain other questions is expected very shortly.
Lieut.-Colonel MALONEMay I ask whether, pending the Report of this Commission, any steps are being taken to transform the big factories into the purposes of other industries?
§ Major TRYONThe Committee referred to by my hon. and gallant Friend is sitting at the present moment, and I very much hope they will come to a con- 1061 clusion to-day, in which case it would obviously be wrong for me to make any premature announcement.
§ Mr. PEMBERTON BILLINGIs it or is it not the intention of the Government to subsidise civil aviation? Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that unless he does so the development of civil aviation will be arrested, and it will die?
§ Major TRYONAs we expect the Report of the Committee it would be unfair to come to a decision before we have got their report.