The Government is very wisely adopting most of the extensive
changes proposed by the Committee. The maxi- mum subsidy payable to air transport companies is to be raised from £1,5oo,o00 to £3,000,000. A Permanent Under- Secretary for Air is to be appointed, with special responsibility for aircraft research, development and production. The Director-General of Civil Aviation will be given the assistance of a Deputy Director-General, and a new Director of Civil Research will be appointed. The proposal for the appoint- ment of a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State to represent civil aviation in the House of Commons is not accepted. That is on the whole a wise decision, for it is highly important that both the Minister, who happens at the moment to be in the House of Lords, and the Parliamentary Under- Secretary should feel their full responsibility for the proper development of civil no less than of military aviation—if only for the elementary reason that the more numerous and capable civil pilots are, the greater the reserve the Royal Air Force will have to draw on in case of need. One personal question is manifestly raised by the Cadman Report. Lord Swinton, as Minister for Air, has allowed the drastic reorgani- sation which the Committee proposes within the Ministry to become necessary. He was either unconscious of the need, or conscious of it and unable or indisposed to apply a remedy. The remedy is now to be applied through the Government's acceptance of the Committee's report, but not till a position has been created to which the Committee refers in language of surprising emphasis. It is unfortunate that the Minister cannot make his own defence in the debate in the House of Commons next week.
