§ 38. Mr. HALESasked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether he 1005 is aware that the United States are building two large airships for which the sum of £2,000,000 sterling has been granted in order to maintain a weekly service across the Atlantic; and, having regard to the fact that Germany will also inaugurate a service by Zeppelin airships in the spring of 1935, whether the Government will now reconsider their policy regarding the construction of airships?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for AIR (Sir Philip Sassoon)As regards the first part of the question, I have seen Press reports on the subject, but so far as I am aware no such grant has been made by the United States Government. As regards the last part of the question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave him on the 1st of this month.
§ Mr. HALESIs it not a fact that many hundreds of men are being engaged for employment at the Cardington airship sheds, presumably for the mooring purposes of the Graf Zeppelin, and are we to remain content to be the mere suppliers of mechanics and garage attendants for foreign airships passing over the British Isles?
§ Sir P. SASSOONWe study all developments going on abroad.