asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether, after the various conditions of safety, reliability, comfort, etc., have been satisfied, he will see that any new machines for civil use ordered by companies working under a subsidy from His Majesty's Government are at least as fast as those of foreign competitors?

I gave a very full and informative reply to my hon. Friend's question on this matter last week, and there is little I can usefully add. Imperial Airways are fully alive to the desirability of using aircraft as fast as those of their foreign competitors, provided this does not involve undesirable sacrifice in other directions, and I can assure him that due importance will continue to be attached to speed both by the company and by my Department.