HL Deb 31 July 1946 vol 142 cc1231-3

Page 26, line 44, leave out subsections (1), (2) and (3) and insert—

("(1) His Majesty may by Order in Council provide for the constitution of an Air Transport Advisory Council consisting of a chairman, who shall be appointed by the Lord Chancellor and who shall be a barrister, advocate or solicitor of not less than seven years' standing, and such number of members appointed by the Minister (not being less than two nor more than four) as may be determined in accordance with the Order.

Of the members of the Council appointed by the Minister, at least one shall be a person of experience in the operation of air transport services, and at least one shall be a person of experience in the operation of other transport services.

No member of any of the three Corporations, and no person employed by any of the three Corporations, shall be qualified to be a member of the Council.

(2) It shall be the duty of the Air Transport Advisory Council to consider any representation from any person with respect to the adequacy of the facilities provided by any of the three Corporations, or with respect to the charges for any such facilities:

Provided that the Council shall not be required by this subsection to consider any such representation if, in their opinion, it is frivolous or vexatious or if, in their opinion, the matters to which the representation relates have been already sufficiently considered by the Council, or if, in their opinion, it is inexpedient that they should consider the representation on the ground that the matters to which it relates are for the time being regulated by any international agreement to which His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom is a party.

(3) It shall be the duty of the Air Transport Advisory Council to consider any question which may be referred to the Council by the Minister, being:

  1. (a) a question relating to facilities for transport by air in any part of the world, or relating to the charges for such facilities; or
  2. (b) a question which in the opinion of the Minister requires consideration with a view to the improvement of air transport services.

(4) When the Council have considered any such representation or question as aforesaid, they shall report to the Minister upon their conclusions, and shall make such recommendations to the Minister in connexion with those conclusions as they think expedient.

(5) The Council may appoint such assessors as they think expedient for the purpose of securing that they are properly advised with respect to matters affecting the interests of persons who use air transport services, or of any class of such persons, and the interests of technical, professional, industrial and commercial bodies (including those of organized labour) directly concerned with the provision of air transport services.")

The Commons propose to amend the above Amendment as follows:

In line 1 of subsection (5) after ("may") insert ("with the approval of the Minister").

LORD WINSTER

My Lords, I beg to move that the House do agree to the Amendment proposed by the Commons to this Amendment. This refers to your Lordships Amendment, which relates to Clause 36 in its present form. Subsection (5) of Clause 36, as the Bill left your Lordships' House, provided that: The Council may appoint such assessors as they think expedient … The Amendment proposed to that is that the subsection should read: The Council may, with the approval of the Minister, appoint such assessors as they thin]; expedient … That will enable the Minister to ensure that the assessors appointed are chosen with a view to the advice that they can give on the point at issue.

Moved, That this House doth agree with the Commons in the said Amendment.—(Lord Winster.)

On Question, Motion agreed to.