§ 29. Mr. Gryllsasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give a general direction to the British Airways Board to provide no smoking sections in all British European Airways and British Overseas Airways Corporation aircraft.
§ Mr. OnslowNo, Sir. This is essentially a matter for the commercial judgment of BEA, BOAC and the Airways Board. But I understand that BOAC already provides a proportion of seats 908 for non-smokers on all its aircraft, and BEA is experimenting with no-smoking seats on its Super 1–11 aircraft.
§ Mr. GryllsI thank my hon. Friend for that reply, which is encouraging. However will he draw the corporations' attention to the fact that now that several large cinema groups are providing accommodation for non-smokers at their cinemas, it is time that the airlines proceeded with more vigour to provide it in their aircraft?
§ Mr. OnslowI am sure that the airlines are aware of the growing public demand for more protection for nonsmokers against those who smoke cigarettes or pipes.