§ 53. Wing-Commander Roland Robinsonasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what replies have been received from Colonial Governments to his inquiry whether they would wish, under the terms of Article 5 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation concluded at Chicago in 1944, to prescribe routes to be followed by civil aircraft over their territories; and what action he proposes to take in this matter.
Mr. Creech JonesI regret that my reply to the hon. Member on 7th May was likely to be misleading. So far, I have consulted Colonial Governments only in regard to the routes to be followed by scheduled international air services and not in regard to the action to be taken under Article 5 of the Chicago Convention. I am advised that it is desirable that where routes are prescribed they should fit into the air traffic control pattern to be established in the areas concerned. I am in communication with my noble Friend the Minister of Civil Aviation, with regard to the air traffic control pattern to be established in the Colonial areas concerned, and I propose to defer further communication with Colonial Governments on the subject until decisions are reached on the question of air traffic control.