Oral Answers to Questions — Civil Aviation – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 17 December 1947.
Flight Lieut Wavell Wakefield
, St Marylebone
12:00,
17 December 1947
asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation why the empty seats in sectors other than Karachi to Singapore were not filled in the aircraft specially chartered to carry the Minister of Civil Aviation on his recent visit to Australia and the Far East in view of the waiting list of passengers, and the saving in cost of this trip to the taxpayer.
Mr George Lindgren
, Wellingborough
Because no space was available.
Flight Lieut Wavell Wakefield
, St Marylebone
Is it not a fact that on certain sections of short haul, seats were available and were not available only for the long haul between Karachi and Singapore? Why were those empty seats over the short section not used?
Mr George Lindgren
, Wellingborough
No, Sir. I am afraid that the hon. Gentleman's information is wrong. A Lancastrian fitted out for the Australian route carries six persons, with sleeping bunks, and that is the passenger pay load throughout the route.
Mr William Shepherd
, Bucklow
Can the Minister say that the aircraft was used for sleeping purposes and that the normal stops for sleeping were not made?
Mr George Lindgren
, Wellingborough
The answer is a combination of both. Stops were made and the aircraft was also used for sleeping purposes.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
