23. Captain BALFOURasked the Under-Secretary of State for Air if the need for retrenchment as affecting Air Ministry expenditure will cancel entirely or delay the commencement of the construction of any new types of civil aircraft which the Ministry had proposed to order for experimental and development purposes during the current financial year?
§ Sir P. SASSOONAs a result of the recommendations of the Committee on National Expenditure it has been decided that it is not practicable in present circumstances to proceed with the two experimental types of civil aircraft which formed the new programme for 1931, or with the amphibian type seaplane included in the programme of the previous year. A large experimental flying boat, which was already on order, is, however, being proceeded with and other proposals consistent with the need for curtailing expenditure to a minimum are under consideration.
Captain BALFOURHas there been a greater measure of economy on the development of civil aviation than on the development of the Service aviation side?
§ Sir P. SASSOONNo, I would not say so.
§ Vice-Admiral TAYLORIs it not a matter of economy and also of material efficiency to go on experimenting and is it not false economy to stop building experimental machines?
§ Sir P. SASSOONWe are going on experimenting.
§ Mr. M. JONESIs there no need for retrenchment on military aircraft?
§ Sir P. SASSOONThat does not arise out of the question.