§ 23. Mr. CRAVEN-ELLISasked the Postmaster-General by what amount in 1932 the receipts of the British Post Office from air-mail fees and from foreign postal administration exceeded the amount they would have reached had the pound sterling been at par rates with the currency of all European countries; what proportion of such profits are being devoted to the general encouragement of air-mail traffic; and what proportion was necessary to make up the loss incurred by the Post Office on the use of foreign air-mail services?
§ The ASSISTANT POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Sir Ernest Bennett)The additional amount collected during 1932 for the use of British air services directly attributable to the suspension of the Gold Standard by this country was approximately 216,000; the additional amount paid for the use of foreign air services for the same reason was roughly £7,000. As foreshadowed in the reply to my hon. Friend's question of 12th December last, my right hon. Friend proposes to devote a considerable sum to a special campaign for advertising the air mail during the year 1933–1934, and the amount so expended will approximate to the balance of receipts.