§ 18. Captain P. MACDONALDasked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether he is yet able to state over what course the Schneider Trophy Race will be run this year and on what date the race is to be held?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for AIR (Mr. Montague)The position remains as stated in my reply to the hon. and gallant Member on the 18th February last. I understand, however, that an announcement will be made on the subject by the Royal Aero Club before the end of this month.
§ Captain MACDONALDCan the hon. Gentleman give an assurance that there will not be the same delay in making this announcement as there was with the original announcement in regard to this race?
§ Mr. MONTAGUEThe matter rests with the Aero Club, and they stated on Monday last that the details of the course had not yet been settled.
§ 20. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the Under-Secretary of State for Air what is the estimated total cost of British participation in the forthcoming Schneider trophy race; what proportion of this is money which would otherwise have to be found from public funds; and what was the cost falling on public funds in 1929?
§ Mr. MONTAGUEAs regards the first two parts of the question, my hon. and gallant Friend will doubtless realise that preparations for a Schneider Trophy contest interact very closely with the official programme of research and development in high-speed aircraft and engine, and it is very difficult, particularly at this stage, to give any satisfactory estimate of the total cost, direct and indirect. I may say, however, that the expenditure which would not have been incurred but for the decision to participate, is estimated at approximately £100,000. I may add that the original cost to public funds of the machines and engines purchased in connection with the 1929 contest, which will also be utilised in connection with the 1931 contest, was about £230,000, but this includes the cost, which cannot be precisely determined, of the normal programme of high-speed research and development over the period affected.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYI am much obliged to the hon. Gentleman. May I ask, does this answer mean that the whole of the extra money, over and above the normal routine training and research, has already been provided by Lady Houston?
§ Mr. MONTAGUEIt means that that is our estimate of the extra cost to the Air Ministry.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYThen no other money will have to be raised by private funds outside Lady Houston's generous gift?
§ Mr. MONTAGUENo, I think not.