§ 25. Mr. Dribergasked the Minister of Aviation if he will issue a general instruction to British European Airways and British Overseas Airways Corporation that the departure of aircraft is not to be delayed, and passengers inconvenienced, for the benefit of unpunctual individuals, and that the regulations requiring passengers to arrive at airports well in advance of departure times are not to be waived in deference to such persons because they are deemed to have V.I.P. status.
§ The Minister of Aviation (Mr. Julian Amery)No, Sir. Arrangements concerning punctual arrival of passengers or 935 departure of aircraft are matters of airline management. They thus fall within the commercial responsibility of the Corporations or other operators.
§ Mr. DribergDoes not the airport control tower indicate to aircraft when they can take off and is not that within the responsibility of the Minister? For the information of the House, can the Minister tell us something about this matter and who the persons are who are allowed these special privileges?
§ Mr. AmeryAny aircraft gives the airport control authorities the time when it expects to go, but if for some reason it is delayed it simply loses its place in the queue and is fitted in as soon as possible.
§ 26. Mr. Dribergasked the Minister of Aviation for how long the departure for Athens on 30th April of an aircraft with a number of passengers on board was delayed because the Queen of Greece was late in arriving at London Airport.
§ Mr. J. AmeryI am informed that the aircraft in question left 12 minutes late.
§ Mr. DribergWhy was it delayed?
§ Mr. AmeryThe decision of the airline concerned was to wait until all the passengers were on board.
§ Mr. DribergThe Minister cannot dodge the question like that. Is not he aware that it was put out by his public relations officers and others that the delay was for the Queen of Greece to arrive? Why should this be done? If a foreign royalty is on a private and unofficial visit to this country, as we were told this was, why should everybody else be inconvenienced in this way?
§ Mr. AmeryIt is none of my business, and, I venture to suggest, none of the hon. Gentleman's business, when an aircraft belonging to a Greek airline takes off from this country, or when that airline is satisfied that all its passengers are on board. It is no responsibility of mine whatever when the users of London Airport scheduled air services, or private airlines, or public airlines, choose to take off.
§ Mr. F. M. BennettCan my right hon. Friend imagine the circumstances under which the hon. Member for Barking (Mr. Driberg) would have asked a similar 936 question if, instead of the head of a friendly State being involved, the head of a hostile Iron Curtain country were involved?
§ Mr. SpeakerThere were some elements of a hypothetical question in that.
§ Mr. DribergOn a point of order. May I ask for your guidance, Mr. Speaker? These two Questions were scrutinised with special care by the Clerks at the Table—by the Table Office—and they were admitted to the Order Paper because it was considered, no doubt after special inquiry from the Ministry, that they were within the scope of the Minister's responsibility. The right hon. Gentleman has dodged answering both of them. Could you give me your guidance, Mr. Speaker?
§ Mr. SpeakerWe work on what is a prima facie case, which it was thought existed here. The result does not govern the Minister, I am afraid. He is responsible for what he answers or does not answer.