HC Deb 16 May 1956 vol 552 cc1996-7
36. Mr. Rankin

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what proportion of his time the Chairman of British Overseas Airways Corporation will devote to the affairs of the Corporation.

Mr. Watkinson

The Chairman will give as much of his time to the affairs of B. O. A. C. as is necessary to carry out to the full his heavy responsibilities as its Chairman. This will mean for the present that his duties will be practically full time.

Mr. Rankin

I wonder whether the Minister would explain some of the apparent contradictions contained in his statement of 20th April, which appear to contradict what he said just now. In c. 1315 of the OFFICIAL REPORT he stated that the Chairman should not be required to give whole-time service. In c. 1317 he said that the Chairman should have wide outside interests. In c.1320—

Mr. Speaker

Order. This is too long. The hon. Member ought to ask his question.

Mr. Rankin

I started by asking whether the Minister could explain some of the contradictions in his statement. I am asking him how he reconciles those two parts of his statement with his concluding statement that the time that the Chairman has to give to the job will amount practically to 100 per cent. If that is the case, how can it be a part-time appointment.

Mr. Watkinson

None of those statements are at all irreconcilable. The answer is that I was not prepared to ask the present Chairman of B.O.A.C. to give up his outside interests, many of which will be, as I have said, of great advantage to him in his work as Chairman of B. O. A. C. Therefore, in all honesty, he cannot be called a full-time Chairman, because he has outside interests. But at the same time, I am saying that he is giving as much time as is necessary, and that means practically full time.

Mr. Ernest Davies

If the chairman is to give practically full time to B. O. A. C., how will he look after his other interests?

Mr. Watkinson

I think—I say this not in criticism of these questions—that if B. O. A. C. ran on hot air, its future would be assured. [Interruption.] Oh, yes, it would. The Chairman, as I said, quite fairly, will give all the time that is necessary, and I have explained that, for the moment, that means practically full time. He is not giving up his outside interests. They will be of great value to him, and I do not propose to try to lay down how much time he should or should not give so long as he can fulfil his function.