§ 20 and 21. Mr. Ian Lloydasked the President of the Board of Trade (1) whether he will consider the detailed analyses of comparative aircraft performance and economics prepared by Caledonian Airways before reaching a decision on the question of duty remission on the import of a Boeing 320C;
(2) what information he has on the loss of dollar earnings which will be incurred if Caledonian Airways are refused permission to import a Boeing 320C aircraft free of duty.
§ Mr. JayI considered all the relevant information provided by Caledonian Airways before making my decision.
§ Mr. LloydIs the President of the Board of Trade aware that even though he thinks that he has considered all the relevant information, Caledonian Airways do not think so. If the public is to have confidence in Ministerial judgment of a complex question of this kind., should not at least one of the major parties to that decision have confidence in it?
§ Mr. JayAccording to the legislation, passed by the party opposite on this point, I merely have to be satisfied that similar aircraft—not identical aircraft—are available, and I was satisfied of that.
§ Mr. FortescueIn view of the fact that B.O.A.C. was permitted to import an identical aircraft during the earlier part 1699 of this year for freight purposes, when British United Airways were flying the VCIO aircraft for freight, will the right hon. Gentleman see that independent airways and public corporations are treated in the same manner?
§ Mr. JayYes, but that was a matter of freight, in respect of which the considerations are quite different. I do not know whether the hon. Member realises that the United States charges import duty on our aircraft entering that country and I do not see why we should not do the same.