§ EARL ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHMy Lords, I beg to ask the Government the Question of which I have given Private Notice: Whether they will make a statement with regard to the dispute which is proceeding with regard to the air lines across the Atlantic?
§ LORD CHESHAMMy Lords, there is at present nothing I can add to what was said in another place by my right honourable friend the Minister of Aviation yesterday, but as and when there is something which should be added perhaps it would suit the noble Earl if I were to inform him, so that a further Question can be put down in due course.
§ EARL ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHMy Lords, I am obliged by that offer, but surely when the matter has already been under discussion, as apparently it was in another place yesterday, it is reasonable that your Lordships' House should be informed to exactly the same extent.
§ VISCOUNT HAILSHAMMy Lords, if the noble Earl will tell me that he wants a statement repeated, of course I shall always, if I can, arrange for it to be done. I was not myself aware of the pendency of the statement yesterday, and I can assure the noble Earl that no discourtesy was meant either to him or to the House.
§ EARL ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHMy Lords, I am much obliged by that. In view of what has been said before, I shall look to the noble Lord, Lord Chesham, to have due 1185 notice when a statement can be made, because I think that it should be made urgently to the House.
§ VISCOUNT HAILSHAMMy Lords, I understand that this was in answer to a Question and, of course, it is a matter for some discretion whether an Answer to an oral Question put in another place should be repeated here. I am anxious to do it, whenever it would be for the convenience of the House, but there will be from time to time a difference of opinion as to whether it is appropriate, and there will be from time to time cases when I miss a Question on the Order Paper of another place. I think that the best thing in such cases is to read the Answer in Hansard and, if further answers are wanted, either to communicate with me or to put a Question on the Order Paper.
§ EARL ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHMy Lords, I am much obliged. Perhaps I shall put a Question down in this respect for to-morrow.