§ 20. Mr. de Freitasasked the Minister of Aviation what progress he has made in his negotiations for joint civil and military air traffic control in Europe and a standard system of air movement notification.
§ The Minister of Aviation (Mr. Peter Thorneycroft)I have nothing to add to the reply given on behalf of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the hon. Member last Thursday.
§ Mr. de FreitasIs the Minister aware that that seemed to me a very unsatisfactory reply? Can the Minister say when he hopes to be able to make a further statement to the House?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftI will willingly take any opportunity to make a statement. I am prepared to sign the Eurocontrol Convention on 13th December, which, I think, is a substantial advance on the European side of it. As far as the United Kingdom is concerned, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Air and I are making quite rapid advances and we hope by the end of January to have joint teams, civil and military, watching something like 90 per cent. of the upper air space of this country. So we are getting on with the job.