§ Mr. Manderasked the Postmaster-General what proportion of the subsidy paid, or payable, to Imperial Airways, Limited, for 1937 and 1938, respectively, is for the operation of the London-Basle-Zurich services; on how many days did Imperial Airways, Limited, operate such services with their own equipment in each of these years; and whether additional payments were made by the British Post Office for the carriage of mail on these services, how much of such payment was made to the Swiss national company as a result of the pooling arrangements made with Imperial Airways, Limited?
§ Major Tryon:I understand from the Air Ministry that the rates of subsidy payable to Imperial Airways in respect of European services generally were £50,000 and £30,000 in the years commencing 1st April, 1937, and 1st April, 1938, respectively, that the route in question forms part of these services but that no special portion of the subsidy is allocated to a particular service.
In regard to the second part, I understand that the service operated with their own equipment on 152 days in the calendar year 1937, and, up to the 27th April, on 31 days this year, including one occasion in each year on which the service terminated at Basle.
As regards the last part of the question the payment due to Imperial Airways, Limited, for the conveyance of mails for the period from the introduction of the pooling arrangements last August up to the 31st of March, 1938, is approximately £9,500, but the hon. Member was informed in answer to his question of the 14th of April no information is available as to the amount of any payments made by Imperial Airways to Swissair.