§ Sir F. SYKESasked the Secretary of State for Air (1) if the intention to set up a Committee comprising representatives of the Air Ministry, the Admiralty and the War Office to act as the consultant body for the construction of airships has been abandoned; and, if so, what circumstances have led to such a decision;
(2) If it is still proposed to set up an advisory board to deal with aspects of airship development other than those which are purely technical, and to comprise representatives of the Treasury, Admiralty, War Office, Air Ministry, Colonial Office and General Post Office; if so, when the Committee will be set up; whether a representative of the Board of Trade will be added; and, if not, what circumstances have caused the abandonment of the intention to form such a Committee?
§ Sir S. HOAREThe mechanism of technical and advisory boards on airships which the late Government proposed has530W been before the Committee of Imperial Defence for consideration of terms of reference; but the matter has not been thought urgent at the present stage, since immediate purposes are served by the existence of the Airship Coordinating Sub-Committee of the Aeronautical Research Committee, and by the appointment of a special Admiralty liaison officer. In this connection, I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answer which I gave him on the 28th May in reply to a question bearing on this subject.