§ 54. Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYasked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether he has any information about the proposed Hamburg-Galway mail and passenger air line, to be operated by a German company by way of Hull; what encouragement and assistance he has offered for a British civil air service to establish itself over this route; and why no British company is to operate this air line?
§ Mr. MONTAGUEAs regards the first part of the question, I have seen a statement on the subject in the Press, but I have no official information, nor has the project been made the subject of an application from the German aviation authorities for the special permission which is necessary under the British-German Air Agreement of 1927 before such a service could be inaugurated. As regards the remainder of the question, no 428 proposals have been received by the Air Ministry for the establishment of a British service on this route.
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYWill my hon. Friend, or his Department, look into the possibilities of establishing this very vital route, and, if possible, by British aviation companies?
§ Mr. MONTAGUECertainly; but I would point out that such a service could not be established without a subsidy, and, under the agreement with Imperial Airways, it would have to be done by that company.
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYIs my hon. Friend in consultation with Imperial Airways regarding the establishment of this very important route?
§ Mr. MONTAGUEI cannot say that, but I imagine that the route does not commend itself to Imperial Airways as being commercially possible.
§ Colonel HOWARD-BURYHave there been any communications with the Irish Free State Government regarding the establishment of an air route between this country and Ireland?