HC Deb 14 July 1959 vol 609 c196
23. Mrs. Mann

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if, in view of the fact that British European Airways incurs a heavy loss in supplying remote parts of Scotland with service, he will consider making an arrangement similar to that of MacBrayne's Limited who receive a subsidy of £300,000 per annum for this type of work.

Mr. Maclay

My right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, who is primarily responsible, and I will examine the hon. Lady's suggestion, which was also made in the Report of the Select Committee on Nationalised Industries which has just been published. The suggestion raises wide issues, consideration of which will obviously take some time.

Mrs. Mann

I thank the right hon. Gentleman for that reply. May I add that he might consider that it places British European Airways in a very awkward position if it has to ask the foreign traveller for extra fares to subsidise the Scottish Highlands?

Mr. Maclay

I agree that all those considerations are involved.

Mr. M. Noble

Would my right hon. Friend bear in mind that any new system of transport bearing any similarity to MacBrayne's would be a disaster to the Highlands?