§ 28. Mr. Straussasked the Minister of Aviation what steps he proposes to take to reach agreement between his Department and the Airlines Operators' Committee over the procedure to be adopted in meeting his request for the filling in and collection of cards by arriving and departing long-distance passengers.
§ Mr. ThorneycroftThe scheme is still under consideration.
§ Mr. StraussCan the right hon. Gentleman give the House some information about this? Are all long-distance passengers involved? Will they all, British or otherwise, have to fill up a questionnaire of ten or eleven questions when they arrive and when they leave the country? If so, is it really necessary? Will it not be an awful nuisance and not worth while?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftAt the moment, I feel that these considerations are in some sense hypothetical, because until the Order in Council is made there is no such scheme. Until I have to deal with that scheme, I am not really so bothered about the difficulties of putting it into operation.
§ Mr. StraussHas not the scheme been discussed with the Airline Operators Association on two occasions and no agreement reached? One understands why. What will happen? Will the Minister and the Government consider whether any such scheme is necessary at all?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftThe necessity for the scheme is not a matter for my Department. If it were introduced, some discussions would take place, but the broad view, as I understand it, is that the airlines do not like it.
§ Sir A. V. HarveyIs it not a fact that the Board of Trade requested these forms to be brought in? Will my right hon. Friend, as the Minister of Aviation, resist it to the hilt and try to simplify travel as much as possible? Will he bear in mind that a few years ago when passengers had to fill in forms showing where they had spent the last fourteen nights they gave ridiculous answers?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftI will certainly call the views of my hon. and gallant Friend to the attention of my right hon. Friend.