asked the Secretary of State for Air when it is proposed to start the mail service over the South Atlantic?

As I informed my hon. and gallant Friend, the Member for Hertford (Sir M. Sueter) in a written reply given on Wednesday, 23rd November, the first experimental flight to Bathurst by British Airways, Limited, is due to leave London on 28th December. The report of the party organised by British Airways to carry out a survey in South America has only recently been received by my Department from the company, and is receiving careful examination. Until the main questions, dependent on the report, as to use of landplane or flying boat, are decided, I am unable to give a date of inauguration.