HC Deb 06 December 1982 vol 33 cc576-7
10. Mr. Robert Atkins

asked the Minister for Trade what discussions he has had with the chairman of the British Airports Authority concerning that authority's future financial structure.

Mr. Sproat

I meet the chairman of the British Airports Authority regularly to discuss all aspects of its activities and I expect to see him again early next week.

Mr. Atkins

Does my hon. Friend agree that the BAA has nothing to fear—indeed, quite the reverse—from an injection of private capital and privatisation? Will he tell the chairman how much he agrees with me and many of my hon. Friends that that should come about sooner rather than later?

Mr. Sproat

The Government always have an open and sympathetic mind to privatisation. But the BAA is the subject of litigation by international airlines, at the heart of which is its ability to fix its charges. We are, therefore, restrained from going ahead as we cannot yet set out a prospectus when so much depends on its ability to fix the charges.

Mr. Colvin

May I ask my hon. Friend not to close his mind to the full-blooded privatisation of the BAA, and in particular the three London airports, nor the semi-privatisation and perhaps municipalisation of the regional airports under its control in Scotland?

Mr. Sproat

We are completely open-minded about that most important matter.