HL Deb 28 January 1971 vol 314 cc1109-10

5.30 p.m.

LORD DRUMALBYN

My Lords, I understand that no Amendments have been set down to this Bill and that no noble Lord has indicated a wish to move a manuscript Amendment or to speak in Committee. Unless, therefore, any noble Lord objects, I beg to move that the Order of Commitment be discharged.

Moved, that the Order of Commitment be discharged.—(Lord Drumalbyn.)

LORD BESWICK

My Lords, before that Question is put to the House, there is one question that I should like to address to the noble Lord, Lord Drumalbyn. As conceivably he may agree, we have here another case where legislation is coming forward in the wrong order. Any legislation for the increase of borrowing powers really ought to come after the legislation which sets up the new Holdings Board. Clearly, if the Board is going to have any work to do at all, it should be in the matter of the allocation of capital resources of the two Corporations. However, it has not come about that way. I simply want to ask the noble Lord now when he expects we shall get the legislation setting up the proposed new Holdings Board.

LORD DRUMALBYN

My Lords, I thought I had indicated during earlier discussions that we hoped it would be possible to have legislation in the course of this year; and the Bill is in preparation. Of course it is not possible to guarantee that there will be legislation in this Session. At any rate, we are extremely anxious to have the Airways Board and the Civil Aviation Authority set up at the earliest possible moment, and certainly in the course of 1972.

LORD BESWICK

My Lords, I am sorry to rise again. The noble Lord has referred to legislation setting up this proposed new Licensing Authority but not, I think, to legislation referring to the Holdings Board. Am I to understand that there will be one Bill dealing with the two matters?

LORD DRUMALBYN

My Lords, the intention is that there shall be one Civil Aviation Bill.

On Question, Motion agreed to.