HC Deb 27 November 1978 vol 959 cc8-10
7. Mr. Canavan

asked the Secretary of State for Trade when he expects next to meet the chairman of British Airways.

Mr. John Smith

I expect to meet the chairman very shortly.

Mr. Canavan

Will my right hon. Friend remind Sir Frank McFadzean that, as the former chairman of Shell, he ought to know all about Rhodesian sanctions busting and, therefore, should take immediate steps to stop British Airways from acting against the spirit, if not the letter, of the law by remitting profits from its Salisbury ticket office to a Swiss bank account? Will the Government order an immediate inquiry into this?

Mr. Smith

My meeting with Sir Frank McFadzean will be confined to his capacity as chairman of British Airways, and I hope to have an interesting discussion with him about that matter. As for the other matter raised by my hon. Friend, I am looking at the arrangement to which he referred, and I cannot anticipate the outcome of my further investigations into it.

Mr. Warren

When the right hon. Gentleman meets the chairman, will he tell him that he is as well aware as his Department is of the way in which British Airways inhibits the sale of tickets on the sector between London and Gibraltar to the disadvantage of the people of Gibraltar and travellers from this country and, what is more, is making sure that those tickets are available to its own subsidiaries? Will the right hon. Gentleman also ask the chairman why, if his colleagues in the Ministry of Defence wish to travel on a night flight, they are charged a surcharge of £750 per flight to land at Gibraltar?

Mr. Smith

I am afraid that I cannot give specific answers to the hon. Member since I did not have notice that he intended to raise quite detailed matters concerning the operations of British Airways. Whether I raise that matter with Sir Frank McFadzean on an already full agenda is a matter that I shall have to consider further. But perhaps the hon. Member will give my Department more details of his concerns.

Mr. Greviile Janner

When my right hon. Friend sees the chairman, will he inquire whether Jewish passengers on British aircraft are still banned from landing in Syria, this being a matter that I have raised with him previously?

Mr. Smith

I have discussed this matter with my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State with responsibility for aviation, and I understand that he has been in correspondence with my hon. Friend. I would rather leave the matter on that basis, because it may be possible to reach a satisfactory outcome.

Mr. Biggs-Davison

In view of the importance, particularly in these troubled times, to the United Kingdom of the air link with Northern Ireland, does not the right hon. Gentleman agree that a £70 return fare London to Belfast is appalling? Will he not therefore tell the chairman when he sees him that if he cannot cut costs and bring fares down the Minister will be obliged to support any pri- vate operator which can offer a more reasonable service?

Mr. Smith

The hon. Gentleman will know more than most that there are some additional problems in travel to and from Northern Ireland. That of fares is one with which those who travel from Glasgow and Edinburgh to London are familiar, since it is the same price. But these are matters for the Civil Aviation Authority.

Mr. Nott

When the right hon. Gentleman sees the chairman of British Airways, he will presumably discuss fare structures in Europe. Could he perhaps make a statement in the House or inform the House on some occasion fairly soon where we stand on the reduction of European fares? I think that British Airways are keen to reduce them, but where does the matter stand? As my hon. Friend the Member for Hastings (Mr. Warren) has said, fares are absurd.

Mr. Smith

There are some negotiations going on at the moment, and when a suitable opportunity occurs, I shall make a statement.