HC Deb 24 July 1978 vol 954 cc1117-8
1. Mr. McCrindle

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if the departmental working party on illegal discounting of air fares will report in the near future.

The Under-Secretary of State for Trade (Mr. Clinton Davis)

Yes, Sir. I expect to receive the report before the end of the Summer Recess.

Mr. McCrindle

Is the travel press correct in suggesting that this inquiry will—as the press puts it—end with a whimper in view of the inability of the travel trade to provide evidence of illegal discounting? If so, will the Minister make another appeal to the trade to provide evidence, as the illegal discounting to which the Question refers is against the law of the land?

Mr. Davis

As to evidence, I have not yet received the report and I dare say that it will still be possible for anybody with pertinent evidence in his possession to provide it to the working party. As to the quality of the reception of the report, I cannot comment on the press report. I have not yet had the report. We shall have to judge when it is in my possession.

Mr. Pavitt

Apart from illegal discounting, can my hon. Friend do something about the illegal changes when there are about different discrepancies in fares which, for anybody who knows the ropes, make a vast difference? Is he aware that three hon. Members were able to obtain tickets to attend the Inter- Parliamentary Union conference at a cost of £63.50 travelling from Lisbon as opposed to £180 for individual fares?

Mr. Davis

I suspect that that shows some perspicacity on the part of hon. Members. I find it difficult from time to time to ascertain the rather strange number of different fare structures, but I hope that in time the matter will clarify itself when people are more used to matters.

Mr. Richard Wainwright

Does the Minister expect that the report will include a clear definition of what is and what is not illegal discounting?

Mr. Davis

That remains to be seen. The working party was given a very wide remit and I hope that it will tackle all these difficult problems. The real problem about illegal discounting—the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. McCrindle) referred to this—is not so much the fact that it can be defined as illegal as actually obtaining the evidence to establish the illegality.

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