§ Mr. VIANTasked the Secretary of State for Air how many machines or engines have been handed over by the Air Ministry to Imperial Airways, Ltd., during the five years from April, 1924; what particular machines or engines have been handed over; what was the cost of each to the Air Ministry; and how much was paid for these machines or engines by the company?
1080W
§ Sir S. HOAREOne aircraft without engines (the "Argosy"), and one aircraft complete with engines (the "Hamilton"), have been sold to Imperial Airways since April, 1924. It would be contrary to the established practice to disclose the prices paid or received by the Air Ministry in these cases. In addition, by a special arrangement accompanying the recent agreement for the England-India service, two flying boats each complete with engines ("Calcuttas") have been handed over to the company at a valuation of £40,000.
§ Mr. VIANTasked the Secretary of State for Air when the sum of £25,000, representing the increase of subsidy to Imperial Airways, Limited, for the fifth year of operation, was paid over to the company?
§ Sir S. HOAREThe £25,000 became part of the subsidy for the year, which was thus maintained at the rate for each of the previous four years, £137,000, instead of being reduced to £112,000, and was paid as usual by monthly instalments.
§ Mr. VIANTasked the Secretary of State for Air if the full formal agreement which came into force on 1st April between the Air Ministry and Imperial Airways, Limited, has been signed; if this agreement supersedes all existing agreements; and when the exact terms of this agreement will be presented to Parliament?
§ Sir S. HOAREThe answer to the first two parts of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the last part, the essential points of the Agreement have been brought to the notice of the House in Command Paper 3143 of 1928, and it is not customary in such cases to incur the expense of issuing a second White Paper. I would refer the hon. Member, in this connection, to the reply given to the hon. Member for Shoreditch (Mr. Thurtle) on 25th July last.
§ Mr. VIANTasked the Secretary of State for Air what subsidy is paid to Imperial Airways, Limited, for each completed flight Cairo-Basra; and what subsidy is paid for each completed flight Basra-Karachi?
1081W
§ Sir S. HOAREThe subsidy is payable on the basis of 100 completed through flights between Egypt and Karachi and is £110,000 per annum for the earlier years. Flights on the sections Egypt-Bagdad, Bagdad-Basra, and Basra-Karachi are allowed, however, to reckon for subsidy as 50, 15 and 35 per cent. respectively of a through flight under certain conditions when the full number of 100 completed through flights have not been performed in the year.