asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what action he is taking with the Minister of Civil Aviation for B.O.A.C. in East or Central African Airways to provide air services to Mauritius and the Seychelles.

Arrangements are now being made in consultation with my noble Friend the Minister of Civil Aviation for the operation of a weekly landplane air service between East Africa and Mauritius by Skyways. The operation of an air service to the Seychelles, I am informed, would at present be possible only with flying-boats. This I understand would be quite uneconomic, and I could not reasonably ask my noble Friend to impose this further financial burden on the B.O.A.C. at this time.