Oral Answers to Questions — Aviation. – in the House of Commons at on 14 November 1934.
Mr Alan Chorlton
, Manchester Platting
asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether he is taking any special steps to secure the best possible type of high-speed mail aeroplane by prize competition or other form of encouragement?
Sir Philip Sassoon
, Hythe
It, would be premature to take any such action as that suggested by my hon. Friend until the position is clearer in regard to the far-reaching scheme of Imperial air transport development prepared by the Air Ministry, in consultation with the Post Office, some months ago and now under active discussion. He is presumably aware that in the United States, where air transport was originally developed primarily for the carriage of mails, the latest official policy is to combine mail with passenger traffic in order to secure additional sources of revenue.
Mr Alan Chorlton
, Manchester Platting
In view of the extraordinary results obtained in the London to Melbourne flight, on account of the prizes offered, cannot we expect similar results here if we offered prizes in the same way?
Sir Philip Sassoon
, Hythe
It has not yet been decided whether it would be a good thing for commercial aviation to have mail carriers solely.
Major Abraham Lyons
, Leicester East
asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether he will recommend an increase in the subvention to Imperial Airways conditional upon the introduction of night-flying through Africa and the shortening of the air journey to Cape Town?
Sir Philip Sassoon
, Hythe
As explained in my answers to the hon. Members for Widnes (Mr. Robinson) and the Hallam Division of Sheffield (Mr. L. Smith) on the 1st and 7th of this month, the whole question of accelerating our Imperial air services, whether by night flying or in other ways, has been under consideration for some time past, but I am not yet in a position to make a statement.
Major Abraham Lyons
, Leicester East
Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether the programme will be announced before the end of the year?
Sir Philip Sassoon
, Hythe
I cannot say definitely, but I hope so.
Major Abraham Lyons
, Leicester East
asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air what additional aircraft are under order by Imperial Airways; and whether he will recommend an increased subvention conditional upon an accelerated Empire air-service?
Sir Philip Sassoon
, Hythe
I understand that Imperial Airways have under consideration tenders for the construction of aircraft which will be larger and faster than any of their existing fleet. As regards the second part of the question, I would refer my hon. Friend to my previous reply.
Major Abraham Lyons
, Leicester East
While thanking my right hon. Friend for the information, may I ask whether the details of the new aircraft under construction by Imperial Airways, Limited, will be announced at the same time or before the full programme which he has indicated?
Sir Philip Sassoon
, Hythe
The details will be published.
Mr Oliver Simmonds
, Birmingham Duddeston
asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether Imperial Airways, Limited, is under any obligation to His Majesty's Government to adopt the results of modern aeronautical development?
Sir Philip Sassoon
, Hythe
The European and Indian Agreement of March, 1929, which runs for 10 years, provides for a depreciation rate of not less than 25 per cent. per annum for all aircraft employed on the service. The African agreement of October, 1930, which runs for 5 years only, required the Company to provide within three months new aircraft specially designed to meet the conditions of service in Central and South Africa.
Mr Oliver Simmonds
, Birmingham Duddeston
In any new agreement with Imperial Airways Limited will my right hon. Friend bear in mind the fact that many new aeronautical developments have been entirely neglected by this company; that, whereas retractable undercarriages are used by all other great lines, they have not a single machine with this device?
Sir Philip Sassoon
, Hythe
I will bear that in mind.
Mr Oliver Simmonds
, Birmingham Duddeston
asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether he has at any time received representations from Imperial Airways Limited to the effect that the financial support it received from His Majesty's Government was inadequate to permit of the increased flying speeds demanded by modern conditions; when such representations were made; and what was their substance?
Sir Philip Sassoon
, Hythe
The whole question of the right balance between technical and economic speeds is under constant discussion between the Air Ministry and the company, which has rendered any formal representations unnecessary to date.
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
The House of Commons votes by dividing. Those voting Aye (yes) to any proposition walk through the division lobby to the right of the Speaker and those voting no through the lobby to the left. In each of the lobbies there are desks occupied by Clerks who tick Members' names off division lists as they pass through. Then at the exit doors the Members are counted by two Members acting as tellers. The Speaker calls for a vote by announcing "Clear the Lobbies". In the House of Lords "Clear the Bar" is called. Division Bells ring throughout the building and the police direct all Strangers to leave the vicinity of the Members’ Lobby. They also walk through the public rooms of the House shouting "division". MPs have eight minutes to get to the Division Lobby before the doors are closed. Members make their way to the Chamber, where Whips are on hand to remind the uncertain which way, if any, their party is voting. Meanwhile the Clerks who will take the names of those voting have taken their place at the high tables with the alphabetical lists of MPs' names on which ticks are made to record the vote. When the tellers are ready the counting process begins - the recording of names by the Clerk and the counting of heads by the tellers. When both lobbies have been counted and the figures entered on a card this is given to the Speaker who reads the figures and announces "So the Ayes [or Noes] have it". In the House of Lords the process is the same except that the Lobbies are called the Contents Lobby and the Not Contents Lobby. Unlike many other legislatures, the House of Commons and the House of Lords have not adopted a mechanical or electronic means of voting. This was considered in 1998 but rejected. Divisions rarely take less than ten minutes and those where most Members are voting usually take about fifteen. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P9 at the UK Parliament site.
