HC Deb 16 March 1955 vol 538 cc1285-6
34. Sir T. Moore

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what progress has been made in the matter of establishing a system of suitable feeder services for Prestwick Airport.

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

On the recommendations of the Air Transport Advisory Council I have approved an application by Dragon Airways, Ltd., to operate a service between Liverpool, Prestwick—on demand—and Renfrew.

Applications to operate other feeder services for Prestwick will be similarly considered, but it is, of course, for operators to decide, in the exercise of their own commercial judgment, whether to apply.

Sir T. Moore

While thanking my right hon. Friend for that first helpful reply, may I ask if he will recall that time after time Prestwick has been designated an international airport, and will he not agree that without a full range of feeder services it is really impossible for it to be truly international?

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

Prestwick's standing as an international airport is not in question. The operation of additional feeder services, of course, depends on applications by operators who wish to operate such services.

Mr. Manuel

Could the Minister inform the House of the number of feeder services that have been offered to Prestwick in, say, the last four years, and the number that have been refused?

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

Perhaps the hon. Gentleman would put that question down.