§ Mr. VIANTasked the Under-Secretary of State for Air the sum representing the relief from Petrol Duty granted to Imperial Airways, Limited, for each financial year since the tax was imposed; and if this relief has applied to the company's inland air services, joy riding, or flights to sports meetings?
§ Major ELLIOTNo special relief has been granted to Imperial Airways. The law provides for a drawback of duty where oil is shipped on aircraft proceeding on foreign journeys. This applies not only to Imperial Airways but to aircraft generally, and it merely follows the ordinary practice under which stores are shipped free of duty on ships proceeding on foreign voyages.
§ Mr. VIANTasked the Under-Secretary of State for Air what is the approximate cost to the State on account of subsidy for each ton mile operated by Imperial Airways, Limited, for the financial years ended April, 1929, 1930 and 1931, in respect of provincial services, European services, Eastern services, and African services, respectively?
§ Sir P. SASSOONThe figures for the European and Eastern services are given below. The African service did not start until March last. No Government subsidy was paid in respect of provincial services.
Imperial Airways, Limited. Year. Cost of Subsidy per Ton-mile. European Services. Eastern Services. £ s. d. £ s. d. 1928–29 0 3 9 1 1 8 1929–30 0 3 4 0 12 11 1930–31 0 4 2 0 14 5