§ 2.45 p.m.
§ VISCOUNT SWINTONI have another question with regard to civil aviation of which I have previously given the Minister private notice. It is to ask His Majesty's Government if they have any statement to make with regard to fares on international air services, particularly having regard to certain statements which have been made with regard to the South African service.
§ LORD WINSTERMy Lords, I thank the noble Viscount for affording me an opportunity of making this statement. It is, of course, our policy that fares on international services should be agreed internationally, and that there should be economic rates based on the cost of the most efficient operation. It is my policy in concluding bilateral agreements, to include provision for the regulation of fares by initial agreement between operators on 373 the route subject to the approval of their Governments. I hope that fares on our peace-time services, as they get going, will be appreciably less than those at present charged. This was evidently the idea behind the remarks made recently by the noble Viscount, the Chairman of the B.O.A.C., who quoted some figures which conveyed his personal idea of the kind of fares which should be aimed at on the Springbok service between the United Kingdom and South Africa. As he made clear, however, actual fares have yet to be discussed and agreed with South African Airways and approved by the two Governments, taking into account any recommendations made by the International Air Transport Association.