§ 46. Lieut.-Colonel MOORE-BRABAZONasked the Prime Minister whether he will give an assurance to the House that the Government will not accept the effective control of civil aviation under any conditions without consulting this House?
§ The PRIME MINISTER (Mr. Ramsay MacDonald)The policy of His Majesty's Government is set forth in Annex II of the Air Armaments Chapter of the Draft Disarmament Convention, which was submitted by the United Kingdom Delegation to the Disarmament Conference on 16th March, 1933, and which has been presented to Parliament in the form of a White Paper. I am sending my hon. and gallant Friend a copy.
§ Lieut.-Colonel MOORE-BRABAZONWill my right hon. Friend discriminate between civil and military aviation?
§ The PRIME MINISTERMy hon. and gallant Friend will see that the discrimination is there in different sections of the document.
§ Mr. PERKINSMay I ask that nothing shall be done without first consulting this House?
§ The PRIME MINISTERIt will be handled in the usual way.
§ Mr. EVERARDIs it not part of the British, plan before the Disarmament Conference that civil aviation shall be controlled?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe control of civil aviation is under consideration. The British delegation has even made the conditions under which that scheme can be talked about, and those conditions are set forth in the Paper.
§ Mr. MACQUISTENIs not the British Empire the most suited for civil aviation, and is it not a pity that it should be restricted?