§ 28. Mr. VIANTasked the Secretary of State for Air whether he can state the original cost of acquiring, clearing and preparing the landing places between Cairo and the Cape for the flight of Sir Pierre van Ryneveld in 1920; the cost of clearing and provisioning these landing grounds for the Cairo-Cape flights of 1926; and the cost of maintenance of these grounds?
§ Sir S. HOAREThe answer to the first part of the question is that the cost of the opening up of the landing grounds on this route for Sir Pierre van Ryneveld's first flight over it was approximately £55,000; to the second part, that the cost of reconditioning the grounds and transport of ground parties for the 1926 flight was about £3,000. As regards the last part, the only maintenance charge borne on Air Votes is an annual contribution of approximately £300 to the Sudanese Government towards the maintenance of landing grounds in the Sudan which are occasionally required for the Royal Air Force.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYWould it not be very much better to keep these landing grounds continually in good condition, so that at any time we can start the air mails from the Cape to Cairo?
§ Sir S. HOAREThat is exactly what we are attempting to do. The fact that the reconditioning of the landing grounds has cost less than one-tenth of the original sum shows that we are going a good long way in that direction.