asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation the total amount of deficiency payments made on account of the national airlines up to the latest convenient date.

Under the authority of the British Overseas Airways Act, 1939, and the Civil Aviation Act, 1946, £15,245,546 was paid to the statutory Corporations during the period 1st April, 1940, to 28th February, 1947, in the form of deficiency grants and advances.