§ 42. Mr. Doddsasked the Secretary to the Treasury in how many cases since 1st January, 1957, the Customs and Excise authorities have found British European Airways aircraft returning to this country with their bars overstocked with spirits and tobacco; in how many cases the stocks have been impounded; and, as aircraft are as a result flying with insufficient stocks, what consultations he has had, with a view to finding a satisfactory solution to the problem.
§ Mr. PowellThe quantity of duty-free spirits and tobacco issued to an aircraft going abroad is limited by law to the reasonable needs of its complement during the flight. There is no question of impounding stores which are brought back, or have been purchased abroad, but the bar-boxes are kept under official control until they can be allocated to outgoing aircraft entitled to the quantity of stores they contain. The scales of permitted stores have several times been adjusted following discussion with British European Airways.
§ Mr. Doddsis the hon. Gentleman stating that there have not been any meetings of Government Departments recently to deal with this problem because of complaints by B.E.A.? Is it not true that the scales are governed by a law 200 years old which applied to sailing ships and permits the possession of 1 oz. of duty-free tobacco and a ¼ pt. of spirits per passenger? If that is correct, does it measure up to modern standards having regard to what other aircraft carry?
§ Mr. PowellThe scales which are applied to aircraft have been designed for aircraft and have been discussed, as I have indicated, several times with British European Airways.