§ 14. Mr. Corfieldasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is satisfied that existing regulations governing the chartering of aircraft for the carriage of freight do not restrict the expansion of air freight services by adding unnecessarily to their cost; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. William RodgersI am not aware that the existing regulations are restricting the expansion of air freight services.
§ Mr. CorfieldIs it not true that a shipper who has a cargo made up of items from a large number of manufacturers is prevented from chartering aircraft even if this would be much cheaper than paying the itemised rates for the items of which the cargo is made up?
§ Mr. RodgersUnder the civil aviation licensing regulations, charter services are defined in what the hon. Gentleman might regard as a fairly narrow way. However, the regulations permit a certain liberty to the Licensing Board, and, as far as I know, the exercise of its present powers has resulted in an increase in freight services rather than the opposite.
§ Mr. CorfieldIs it not clear that the increase has largely come from increases in cargo carried by passenger transport, and there is an enormous potential for cargo carried by freight aircraft as such? Will the hon. Gentleman look into the matter and see whether he can liberalise matters to the maximum, in view of their great importance to Britain's export trade as well as to the airlines?
§ Mr. RodgersI shall look at it in those terms, but, here again, the hon. Gentleman will agree that this is very much a matter for the Edwards Committee and, whereas we must not postpone nececessary action, it would equally be wrong to be precipitate in advance of the full review.