HC Deb 10 May 1971 vol 817 cc7-8
9. Mr. Onslow

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action he is taking to reduce the need for the carriage of duty-free spirits on board aircraft on international flights to and from airports in the United Kingdom.

Mr. Anthony Grant

None, Sir, but if my hon. Friend will let me have details of the particular point he has in mind I will look into it.

Mr. Onslow

While I am grateful to my hon. Friend for that reply, may I ask whether, before we meet to discuss this, he will represent to Her Majesty's Government's Customs that it is undesirable from the safety and workload point of view that aircraft should become flying off-licences? Since I am told reliably that it is possible for a jumbo jet to take off for New York carrying 1,800 bottles of whisky in the cabin, would it not be more desirable if they had duty-free vouchers instead?

Mr. Grant

I understand that this practice is not popular with the corporations and other operators, and I will certainly, as I undertook, discuss with my hon. Friend and with operators ways in which we can get round this difficulty. But I should like to correct the view that this is a hazard to safety. Our Directorate of Flight Safety experience has not revealed any hazards from a safety point of view.