asked the Secretary of State for Air what progress has been made in the development of a regular air mail to India; when he expects an air mail service to India to be put into regular operation; what portion of the route will be covered by air and what proportion by other means of transport; and what is the expected saving in time?

In reply to the first and second parts of the question, I am not yet in a position to add to my reply to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Hallam on 11th June. As regards the third part, it is intended that the Kantara-Karachi portion of the route should be covered by air. As regards the last part, the saving in time is expected to be from five to seven days on correspondence to different parts of India.

When does the hon. Gentleman expect the service to begin?

Civil undertakings have been asked to provide schemes for a weekly service between Kantara and Karachi, and we hope it will begin, without any delay, at a very early date.