§ 37. Mr. Mikardoasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation how many members of his staff also fly, or carry out other work, for air transport operators for hire or reward.
§ The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation (Mr. Airey Neave)Eight members of my right hon. Friend's staff have flown as pilots in their own time during the past year for air transport operators.
§ Mr. MikardoDoes not the hon. Gentleman think that it is a little doubtful whether officers of his Department, who sometimes have to make decisions favouring one operator against another, should be employed, even in their own time, by some of these operators? Will he consider whether, in the public interest, this practice ought to be stopped?
§ Mr. NeaveWe are having a full review made of the operations which these employees are carrying out and we will certainly bear in mind whether they conflict with the duties of these people in the way that the hon. Member suggests. In principle, I should not have thought it objectionable that they should get a certain amount of flying practice which would bring them up to date in operational matters.