§ 57. Mr. SIMMONDSasked the Postmaster-General why the payment to Imperial Airways, Limited, for the carriage of mails to Paris is more than six times the sum per ton mile that is paid to an unsubsidised company for similar carriage between London and Northern Ireland?
§ The POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Major Tryon)The payments made to Imperial Airways for the carriage of mails to Paris are in accordance with the rates laid down in the Universal Postal Union Convention. The payments made for the carriage of mails to Northern Ireland were fixed as the result of competitive tenders. The weights carried and other conditions differ widely in the two cases, and the criterion used by my hon. Friend does not therefore form a valid basis of comparison.
§ Mr. SIMMONDSIs it not a fact that, although these terms to Imperial Airways may have been reasonable 10 years ago, they are high beyond reason to-day; and will the right hon. and gallant Gentleman give the House an undertaking that in future, when placing these contracts, he will pay the same rate to both subsidised and unsubsidised companies?
§ Major TRYONThe hon. Member's comparison between the two systems cannot be argued upon the basis of ton-mile because all the Imperial Airways mails to Paris amount to only about 30 lbs. per day one way, whereas the mails to Belfast amount to a guaranteed weight of 600 lbs. per day.
§ Mr. SIMMONDSWill the right hon. Gentleman endeavour as soon as possible to arrange that the Imperial Airways loads are increased, by having no surcharge on the foreign mail, to a figure similar to that of Northern Ireland?
§ Major TRYONI do not think that it would be possible to obtain similar figures for totally different services. We shall do all we can to get as good and as cheap a service as possible.
§ Mr. GEORGE GRIFFITHSIs the reason why the Post Office pay six times more to Imperial Airways that they get so much money out of contractors who do not pay fair rates of wages?
§ Major TRYONThat has nothing whatever to do with this question.