asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what, during the past six months, has been the cost of chartering aeroplanes for Members of His Majesty's Government; and if he will give separate figures for the month of August.

£54,000 in the past six months, including £41,000 in August. This last figure includes about £40,000 in respect of the visits to Australia and the Far East of the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations and of the Minister of Civil Aviation.

In view of the fact that the Government have been responsible for this crisis, why should the taxpayer have to meet the expense of petrol and aeroplanes to bring Ministers back from their holidays to make confusion worse confounded?

As the hon. Gentleman will have noticed, the major part of this expenditure has not been in respect of what he has referred to, but in respect of visits to the Empire by two Ministers which I think served a very valuable purpose. There were visits to Australia, New Zealand, Ceylon and India by the present Lord Privy Seal who was then holding the Office of Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations, and visits related to aviation development to Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Siam and India by the Minister of Civil Aviation. That money was well spent in the interests of the Empire.

Would the Chancellor of the Exchequer say on what Vote this very large figure will appear so that all those who wish to criticise it may have an opportunity?

Perhaps the noble Lord will give me notice of that question.

Does not the Chancellor think it would be far more appropriate that the Minister of Civil Aviation should travel by a regular air line rather than in a chartered aeroplane? By so doing would he not have learned a great deal more about the way in which our civil air lines are being operated?

That is a matter of opinion.

Would the Minister please assure the House that the size of the aircraft is brought into consideration with regard to the Ministers' requirements, so that costs may be decreased and unnecessary extravagance avoided?

Yes, Sir. Of course it will be appreciated that neither of these gentlemen travelled alone. The Secretary for Commonwealth Relations was accompanied by the Minister of State who was also attending the Canberra Conference, to which our Australian friends attach very great importance, preparing the way for the treaty discussions with Japan. It would be a pity to minimise the importance of that. They were also accompanied, of course, by staff from their offices and Departments here, necessary to the discharge of their duties.

Will the Chancellor say what was the cost of chartering this aeroplane to Australia?

I have already given the total cost.

The Australian one.

The total cost was some £20,000 in respect of each of the two trips which I have mentioned. It was not merely to Australia, of course; it went on along the route I have mentioned.