§ 21. Mr. Shepherdasked the Minister of Aviation what were the average actual 1681 flying hours per week for the last available year flown by British airline pilots on scheduled flights.
§ Mr. StonehouseMy Department does not have information on the average flying hours a week for British scheduled services, but a sample from the larger airlines suggests that the answer is between 10 and 14 hours.
§ Mr. ShepherdIs the Minister aware that the American average—and America has a better safety record than we have—is about 50 per cent. more per week? Is he satisfied that the trade union element among British pilots is not so strong that in fact we are working our pilots fewer hours than we ought to fly them?
§ Mr. StonehouseI do not think that it is fair to make that sort of comparison.