BRITISH AIRLINES (MIDDLE EAST FLIGHTS) (Hansard, 24 February 1970)

§ The Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons (Mr. Fred Peart)
Further to the statement yesterday by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade, I understand that there has been no significant 987 change in the situation since that statement. My right hon. Friend will, however, make a further statement as soon as there are any significant developments to report.
Her Majesty's Government deplore the outrage which occurred in Switzerland on 21st February. It has yet to be established who were responsible. Her Majesty's Government condemn all acts of terrorism, by whomsoever committed, particularly terrorism on an international scale.
I do not need to say that we will give full support to international arrangements designed to outlaw violence and terrorism on the world's airways.

§ Mr. Maudling
That is not entirely satisfactory. We welcome the Government's deploring of the outrage, but how can the Leader of the House say that there has been no significant change in the situation, when we see reports, for example, that flights of Arab airlines are to be blacked by people at Heathrow, and reports of world-wide airline pilots' strikes? How can the right hon. Gentleman say there have been no developments?

§ Mr. Peart
I said that in view of events— and inevitably discussions are going on—I will see that my right hon. Friend makes a full statement on the matter.

§ Mr. Shinwell
Everyone in the House will be grateful for the first part of my right hon. Friend's statement. Can he explain why his right hon. Friend, who, presumably, should have been in touch with the Foreign Office and perhaps my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister before making an announcement to the House, failed to have the common sense —indeed, the decency—to condemn the outrage that took place recently?
Second, can my right hon. Friend give an assurance that within the next 24 or 48 hours normal air freights will be resumed?

§ Mr. Peart
I cannot give any specific assurance on my right hon. Friend's second point. My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade will, if necessary, make a statement tomorrow. He is closely in touch with everyone concerned on the matter.
988 My right hon. Friend will appreciate that I cannot comment on the first part of his question. I make a strong, positive statement.

§ Sir A. V. Harvey
Will the Leader of the House bear in mind that the captain and crew of the aircraft are ultimately responsible for the safety of their aircraft and passengers? In the meantime, will he ask his right hon. Friend to have discussions with the British Air Line Pilots Association and get its views on the matter?

§ Mr. Peart
I think that the hon. Gentleman is right to raise that matter. Yes, Sir.

§ Mr. Lubbock
Is the Leader of the House aware that one significant development that has occurred is the Israeli Government's statement that they know the people responsible for the outrage? Will he therefore consult the Israeli Government to see what measures can be taken in support of prosecution of the persons responsible? Will he also ask his right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade to initiate discussions in I.C.A.O. instead of waiting for international arrangements to be started by someone else?

§ Mr. Peart
Yes, Sir. I think that it is reasonable to ask my right hon. Friend to consider it.

§ Mr. Rose
Is my right hon. Friend aware that the action of the B.O.A.C. workers is of extreme significance? Is not this another example of members of the trade union movement being far ahead of the Government? Will he convey the congratulations of many of us on these benches to those workers?

§ Mr. Peart
I thought that I made my position quite clear with regard to the incident, which I condemn. My right hon. Friend will make a further statement.

§ Mr. Boyd-Carpenter
The Leader of the House has said that his right hon. Friend will make a statement tomorrow if necessary. In view of the confusion of the situation and the harm being done to Israel, will he undertake that his right hon. Friend makes at any rate an interim statement tomorrow?

§ Mr. Peart
I think that that is reasonable.

§ Mr. Heffer
Does my right hon. Friend recognise that statements and supplementary questions about them do not constitute the best way for hon. Members to express their views on the matter? Could he therefore arrange a short debate on the subject, in view of the seriousness of the situation?

§ Mr. Peart
There is a Motion on the Order Paper which I shall have to consider, but in view of a decision beyond my control this was not raised yesterday. I hope that my statement will give satisfaction. I will insist and ensure that my right hon. Friend keeps a careful watch on the matter and will make the interim statement.

§ Mr. Hastings
May we take it from what the Leader of the House has said that the Government recognise that the question is now a Government responsibility and not primarily a responsibility for the airlines? Will he give us an assurance that the Government will support the Swiss suggestion that there should be an international conference to discuss these matters as soon as possible?

§ Mr. Peart
I cannot make a statement which involves international responsibility. As I have said, we would support international arrangements designed to outlaw violence and terrorism. I cannot go beyond that.

§ Mr. Raymond Fletcher
Would not my right hon. Friend agree that this is a problem which has outgrown the jurisdictional area of the Board of Trade? Can he give the House an assurance that my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary will make the strongest representations to those Governments which both harbour terrorists and are dependent upon them?

§ Mr. Peart
I think that my statement was quite clear in condemning all acts of terrorism. Further action is a matter for my right hon. Friend. I will convey my hon. Friend's views to him——

§ Mr. Biggs-Davison
On a point of order.

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. The hon. Gentleman is not compelled to put a point of order. Mr. Heath.

§ Mr. Heath
Is it not now clear from all the questions that have been asked from both sides of the House that it is not very satisfactory for the Leader of the House to make a statement of this kind, because the matters are questions of substance and policy which affect both the Board of Trade and the Foreign Office? Therefore, will the Government give further consideration to whether the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary should make a statement, because the matter affects international relations?
There is also the very important question whether the Government, this country being a major air power in the civil sense, should not take an initiative for its own international conference, or through I.C.A.O., or through the United Nations, so that real action can be taken about the matter.

§ Mr. Peart
I responded to the question put to me yesterday by the hon. Member for Macclesfield (Sir A. V. Harvey). I thought it right that I should inform the House that I had made representations. My right hon. Friend will certainly make a statement. I agree with the right hon. Gentleman that this matter is beyond my responsibility as Leader of the House. It is a matter for the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary and my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade. They must ascertain facts. When they have the facts, they will certainly inform the House.

§ Mr. Biggs-Davison
Further to that point of order——

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. I have not called the hon. Member for Chigwell (Mr. Biggs-Davison) to ask a supplementary question. He can raise a point of order if he wishes.

§ Mr. Biggs-Davison
I would like to ask ——

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. We have passed supplementary questions on this issue.

§ Mr. Biggs-Davison
On a point of order. What is going on in this House? [Laughter.]

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. So far, that is a philosophical question rather than a point of order.

§ Mr. Biggs-Davison
If we may conic from philosophy to politics, may I ask 991 Why it is that this statement, on a very important and serious matter involving life and death, was made by the Leader of the House when, in answer to questions from this side, he said that he was unable to supply the House with information because that was more properly a matter for his right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary, or his right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade, who is responsible for civil aviation?
Both those right hon. Gentlemen are on the Treasury Bench, beside the Leader of the House. Why is it not possible for one of them to make the necessary statement this afternoon?

§ Mr. Speaker
The Leader of the House, and, indeed, many of the supplementary questioners, dealt with the very point raised by the hon. Member as a point of order.