§ 2.38 p.m.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have given or intend to give any new directive to the Air Transport Advisory Council regarding respective activities of the air corporations and the air charter companies.]
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE CO-ORDINATION OF TRANSPORT, FUEL AND POWER (LORD LEATHERS)My Lords, the Air Transport Advisory Council consider applications from independent air companies to operate scheduled services as associates of the Air Corporations and advise the Minister of Civil Aviation on the acceptance or otherwise of such applications. The Council discharge these duties under a directive from the Minister. The directive at present in use is the one issued by the noble Lord, Lord Pakenham, when he held office as Minister of Civil Aviation. It was, however, modified in one respect by my right honourable friend Mr. Maclay, when he was Minister. As I informed the House on December 5 last, the Minister decided that, for the time being, agreements coming up for renewal should not be extended beyond March, 1953, nor should 796 new agreements be granted extending beyond that date. This is a temporary measure while policy is under review. The directive to the Air Transport Advisory Council is among the questions which the Government are looking into as part of their review of policy. As for our intentions, I would ask the noble Lord to await the general statement on the future policy of the Government for civil aviation which will be made a little later.
LORD PAKENHAMMy Lords, it is obvious that we must give the new Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation a chance to look round. At the same time, I feel that I must point out to the noble Lord that many of us are beginning to become extremely restive and to feel that Civil Aviation is being treated as the Cinderella of the Departments. I can only hope that the new Minister will prove to be the Prince Charming for whom a great many of us are looking.