HC Deb 25 March 1970 vol 798 cc1411-2
12. Mr. Corfield

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to extend the concept and use of area navigation for aircraft both nationally and internationally.

Mr. Goronwy Roberts

I would refer the hon. Member to the answers which I gave to Questions from my hon. Friend the Member for Nuneaton (Mr. Leslie Huckfield) on 2nd December, 1969, and 20th January, 1970. Efforts to obtain international acceptance of the need for area navigation capability for civil aviation and to establish an international standard are continuing. Progress nationally is largely dependent on this but there is already limited approval to the use of area navigation systems here and in the United States.—[Vol. 792,cols. 278–9; and Vol. 794, cols. 109–10.]

Mr. Corfield

Particularly in view of the spread of these systems in the United States, will the right hon. Gentleman consider offering some incentive to operators of aircraft flying into or out of the United Kingdom to fit this equipment? As it enables them to take advantage of weather conditions and so on, if they are assured that they will be given the advantage of priorities in landing and taking off if using this equipment, that will offset the economic cost.

Mr. Roberts

I take note of what the hon. Gentleman said. We have done everything we can, and continue to do so, to popularise to all our foreign partners the advantages of this system. I will see what further steps we can take.

Mr. Brooks

Will my right hon. Friend recall that last year there were 38 collisions and about 2,000 near-misses in the United States alone and that this confirms that there is a danger, not least in this country, arising from aircraft not having this precision area coverage facility?

Mr. Roberts

I do not think that those two facts can be too closely related.