§ Mr. WHYTEasked the Under-Secretary of State for Air if, in view of proof afforded by the recent air race to Australia of the practicability of running high-speed commercial air services to the distant parts of the Empire, he will propose a new basis of agreement with Imperial Airways which will enable that company to maintain British air prestige?
§ Mr. ROBINSONasked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether, as the result of the information provided by the recent England to Australia flight, any new proposals have been adopted for the increased speed and efficiency of British commercial air services to India and Australia?
§ Sir P. SASSOONConcrete proposals for curtailing materially the present times taken by the existing air services between London and the other Empire capitals have been under consideration for many months past, but I am not in A position as yet to make any public statement. I must, however, enter a caveat that, important as is the speed factor in386W commercial air transport development, other considerations, such 'as safety, reliability, regularity and comfort, have also to be taken into account. This is illustrated by the fact that, even although Air France had re-equipped their fleet with materially faster machines on the London-Paris route as long ago as January last, Imperial Airways during the three months July to September, in, elusive, carried over three times as many passengers as Air France on this route. Further, whereas the number of passengers carried by Imperial Airways during these three months was somewhat larger than the corresponding figure for the same period in 1933, the French figures, despite the use of these faster machines, showed a decline of nearly 30 per cent.
§ Mr. ROBINSONasked the Under-Secretary of State for Air how the annual subsidy paid from public funds to Imperial Airways, Limited, compares with the subsidies paid by foreign governments to their commercial air lines; and whether in future he will lay down minimum conditions as to speed and reliability as a condition of the continuance of the subsidy to Imperial Airways, in order to bring the performance of British commercial flying machines up to the level of that of foreign airways?
§ Sir P. SASSOONIt is impossible to deal adequately with the very complex issues raised in this question within the limits of a Parliamentary reply. I may say, however, that the annual subsidy paid to Imperial Airways is materially lower than those paid in such countries as the United States, France, Germany and Italy, largely because the object of the British subsidy is to develop air transport on a sound commercial basis. As regards reliability, Imperial Airways have an unrivalled record; as regards speed, I would refer my hon. Friend to what I have already said in reply to a previous question. I may add, however, that appropriate minimum conditions will certainly be laid down in any agreements which may be concluded with Imperial Airways in the future.
§ Mr. ROBINSONasked the Under-Secretary of State for Air what steps he is taking to prevent the British air lines operating routes to the East being hampered by any refusal on the part of the French Government to permit British 387W machines to fly between Le Bourget and Marseilles when carrying commercial loads?
§ Sir P. SASSOONNegotiations are still proceeding with the French Government in this matter.