Mr. C. I. Orr-Ewingasked the Postmaster-General why he pays British European Airways Corporation the equivalent of 2.09 gold francs per tonne/kilometre for internal airmail, and 2.9 gold francs for overseas carriage, when the cost for internal routes is the greater; and when the agreement between the Universal Postal Union and the International Air Transport Association calls for a rate of three gold francs per tonne/kilometre on short haul services.
§ Mr. Ness EdwardsThe hon. Member is under a misapprehension in regard to the existence of an agreement between the Universal Postal Union and the International Air Transport Association covering conveyance rates paid by postal administrations to their national air-operators. The sterling payments made to the British European Airways Corporation for both international airmail of United Kingdom origin and internal airmails are negotiated on a commercial basis.