§ 30. Mr. Nabarroasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what proposals he has received from British European Airways or private charter companies for improvement of scheduled 466 fare-paying passenger air services between London and the North-West of England, notably to serve Liverpool and industrial South Lancashire, and the North Wales littoral.
§ 31. Mr. E. Johnsonasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what applications he has received for the inauguration of an air service between Speke Airport, Liverpool and London on the same lines as that now providing a service between Ringway Airport, Manchester and London.
§ Mr. ProfumoNone, Sir.
§ Mr. NabarroWhat will my hon. Friend do to amend this state of affairs? Why should Manchester have a regular air service and Liverpool be deprived of one? Is it not a fact that the Liverpool industrial area, Merseyside and North Wales, is of very great importance, and are we to do without an air service between that area and London in perpetuity?
§ Mr. ProfumoMy answer said nothing about in perpetuity. There does not seem to be the same requirement for Liverpool as for Manchester. There is not at Liverpool the number of passengers prepared to travel by this service that there is in the case of Manchester. It is a financial problem and my right hon. Friend cannot direct British European Airways Corporation to operate services that it regards as uneconomic while at the same time urging them to reduce their deficit generally.
§ Mr. JohnsonIs not my hon. Friend aware that there would be a very wide demand for this service from people who live in the western part of Cheshire, which is very heavily populated?
§ Mr. ProfumoIf that is so, there is nothing to stop an independent company instituting a service.
§ Mr. BeswickWill the Parliamentary Secretary tell us what has happened to all those private air companies which were going to come in and operate services?
§ Mr. ProfumoYes, Sir. They are now living a much stronger existence than under the regime of the party opposite. If hon. Gentlemen opposite had still been in power, these companies would not exist at all.
§ Mr. BeswickBut why do they not operate a service?
§ 35. Mr. C. Hughesasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what proposals to institute scheduled fare- paying passenger air services between North and South Wales and between Wales and London he has received from British European Airways; and when the schemes will be put into effect.
§ Mr. ProfumoNone, Sir. But authority to operate a passenger service between Wales and London has been conditionally granted to the Welsh Company, Cambrian Air Services Limited.
§ Mr. HughesIs the hon. Gentleman aware that that is a most discouraging reply? Does he know that B.E.A. operates on routes to all parts of the United Kingdom, including the Isle of Man, but excepting Wales?
§ Mr. NabarroAnd Liverpool.
§ Mr. HughesWhen B.E.A. sustained losses between 1946 and 1950 the Welsh people made their contribution towards those losses. Is not it time that the needs and the rights of Wales should be recognised?
§ Mr. ProfumoI can only say that my right hon. Friend has no statutory powers to force B.E.A. to run on any route which they feel would be uneconomic.
§ Mr. G. ThomasCan the hon. Gentleman say whether Cambrian Airways have sought permission to fly from Cardiff to North Wales and whether permission has been granted?
§ Mr. ProfumoNo, Sir. I cannot add to what I have already said.