HL Deb 17 February 1959 vol 214 cc272-3

3.12 p.m.

LORD COLYTON

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations have been received in regard to the operation of a scheduled air service from London to the South West of England to include Exeter, Plymouth and Penzance and linking up with the B.E.A. service to the Islands of Scilly.]

THE EARL OF GOSFORD

My Lords, applications by independent airlines to operate scheduled air services are considered in the first place by the Air Transport Advisory Council, who advise my right honourable friend the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether or not he should give his approval. The Council have received no recent application for a service from London to the South West of England. Nor has my right honourable friend, my Lords, received any recent representations about such a service.

I might add, my Lords, that an application by Cambrian Airways to operate a service from London to Penzance via Bristol, Cardiff and/or Exeter, was conditionally approved for operation in 1954 but the service never started. Should another company apply to operate a service on this route, it would be open to the Council to recommend that the application be approved if they considered that Cambrian Airways had withdrawn for other than temporary or seasonal reasons.

LORD COLYTON

My Lords, while thanking my noble friend for his reply, I should like to ask him whether he is aware of the strength of feeling in both Devon and Cornwall as to the need for an air service to the South West, not only from the point of view of residents but from the point of view of the tourist industry, which, certainly in the case of Cornwall, is now its major industry. Even having regard to what he has said, I ask whether he would ask his right honourable friend the Minister if he will seriously consider urging British European Airways to run a trial service to the South West during the coming summer months, possibly with twin Pionairs or Herons or some aircraft suitable for those landing grounds?

THE EARL OF GOSFORD

My Lords, I will certainly bring the remarks of my noble friend to the attention of my right honourable friend. I do, however, feel that I should not give him any false hypes about this particular line.