§ Sir N. GRATTAN-DOYLEasked the Secretary of State for Air whether, in view of the fact that the expectation has not been realised that by the abolition of passenger traffic on the Cranwell Railway freight charges would cover expenses, he proposes to take further steps to reduce the deficit on working?
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§ Sir S. HOAREI have every confidence that the expectation to which my hon. Friend refers will be realised in the coming year It would have been realised in 1927 but for a large decrease in receipts, due to the transfer of the boys' wing from Cranwell to Halton. As it was, expenditure on the railway was reduced from £4,000 in 1926 to £2,000 in 1927. Next autumn the establishment at Cranwell will again be increased, on the transfer of the Electrical and Wireless School from Flowerdown, and the effect of this should be to bring a greater volume of traffic to the railway, with a consequent increase in receipts and the wiping out of the deficit on the working account.