HC Deb 12 November 1958 vol 595 cc374-5
39. Mr. Beswick

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether an air services agreement has yet been concluded with the Government of Ghana; and whether it is proposed in such an agreement to provide for more than one United Kingdom operator to share available scheduled passenger traffic between United Kingdom and Ghana with Ghana Airways.

Mr. Neave

An Air Services Agreement with Ghana was signed in London on 24th September, and provides for two routes between London and Accra, one over the desert and one down the west coast. Her Majesty's Government propose to designate as United Kingdom operators, B.O.A.C. for the former route and Hunting Clan Air Transport and Airwork for the latter.

Mr. Beswick

Is the Minister aware that this means that traffic which, at one time, was the responsibility of B.O.A.C., is now shared, not only with Ghana—which, of course, we accept—but with another British operator? Is he further aware that this sharing out of the traffic comes at a time when there is talk of the redundancy of 3,000 people at London Airport? Does his right hon. Friend appreciate that the best contribution he could make to industrial stability in the maintenance hangars at London Airport would be to stop this policy of eating into the traffic rights of B.O.A.C.?

Mr. Neave

The first point is that this air services agreement will be published and presented to the House very shortly, when we shall have an opportunity to discuss it in more detail. But my right hon. Friend has already explained to the hon. Gentleman, in answer to his Questions, that this is a competitive world for air transport, and that he was assured that the Corporation was prepared to face a certain amount of competition.

Mr. Beswick

Does the Minister deny that, as a result of this administrative arrangement, the Corporation will have to hand over business to a private company at a time when the Corporation itself is considering redundancy in its own ranks? Does he realise that this is bound to cause unrest among the staff there?

Mr. Neave

This situation arises from the independence of Ghana, and not from the arrangement the hon. Gentleman mentions.

Mr. Beswick

With respect, Mr. Speaker, may I ask the Minister to make it quite clear that the independent operator to which he refers is a British company operating from the United Kingdom?