§ 2.35 p.m.
§ LORD OGMOREMy 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 steps have been taken recently to prepare for the introduction of Eurocontrol services in upper airspace and what arangements they have made to keep Parliament informed of the recent activities of the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation (Eurocontrol).]
§ THE MINISTER OF DEFENCE FOR THE ROYAL AIR FORCE (LORD SHACKLETON)My Lords, Eurocontrol services in the upper airspace were introduced on March 1, 1964. Eurocontrol is accordingly responsible for the air traffic control of all civil aircraft and certain non-operational military aircraft flying above 25,000 ft. in United Kingdom airspace. Under bilateral agreement between the United Kingdom and the Eurocontrol organisation, this control is currently carried out on an agency basis by the National Air Traffic Control Services. In reply to the second part of the Question, the noble Lord, Lord Denham, told the House on February 21, 1962, in reply to a question by the noble Lord, Lord Ogmore, that Her Majesty's Government were promoting the idea of the publication by Eurocontrol of an annual report. The first annual report has now been published and copies have been placed in the Library of the House.
§ LORD OGMOREMy Lords, while thanking the noble Lord for that reply 270 and welcoming the contents of it, may I ask whether any operational responsibilities have been assumed in 1964 or in 1965? And, furthermore, have any new States, in addition to the original six, ratified the Eurocontrol Convention?
§ LORD SHACKLETONMy Lords, I really think that those are other questions. I would only say that in due course the report will be published, and if the noble Lord would like to put down a further Question on any of these points I should be glad to answer. I would say that no other country has yet joined, but there is a possibility of at least one doing so.