HL Deb 21 October 1971 vol 324 cc474-6
BARONESS BURTON OF COVENTRY

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

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they agree that the time has come to simplify air tariff rates; and whether they would recommend to member Governmenits of IATA through State air lines that consideration be given to the possibility of having an experimental period, during which a simple cut-price holiday ticket replaced all the other special holiday tickets, thereby minimising confusion to the public and work for staff concerned.]

EARL FERRERS

My Lords, there would certainly be advantage in some simplification of air tariffs, though not necessarily in going from one extreme to the other if the result was to limit unreasonably the choice of facility that was available to the consumer. A good deal of thought is being given to this question and we shall draw the attention of the airlines to the suggestions made by the noble Baroness.

BARONESS BURTON OF COVENTRY

My Lords, I thank the noble Earl for that Answer. Am I correct in saying that B.O.A.C. and British Caledonian have been given exemption from normal licensing rules for flights to Malaya and Singapore? If so, would the noble Earl not agree that this means that they can run charter flights at low prices and both advertise and sell tickets direct to the public?—which is contrary to normal charter rules. As I understand that this exemption is an experiment and is in the nature of a trial between now and March, why cannot we try some other experiments along similar lines?

EARL FERRERS

My Lords, I think that the supplementary question, which the noble Baroness has asked is very wide of the original Question, which referred to cut-price holiday tickets. However, if she cares to put down a further Question with regard to the point that she has made I will answer it.

BARONESS BURTON OF COVENTRY

My Lords, may I ask a supplementary question on cut-price holiday tickets? Is the noble Earl aware of the undesirable situation which has grown up on concealed group fares? Is he aware that touts buy these cheap tickets for sale to other people within the time limits imposed? Can the noble Earl give us any figures that his Department have secured (apart from the airlines) of the percentage of IATA cheap fares group tickets which are sold or resold to members of the public who are not members of the affinity group?

EARL FERRERS

My Lords, I am afraid that I cannot give that information because that question also is very wide of the original Question. If the noble Baroness cares to put down a specific Question I will answer it.

LORD BLYTON

My Lords, can the noble Earl say how, after joining the Common Market, which will increase our cost of living by 20 per cent., we are going to get cheap air fares in the future?

EARL FERRERS

My Lords, I feel that the noble Lord, Lord Blyton, will have an opportunity to put that particular question next week.

BARONESS BURTON OF COVENTRY

My Lords, before we leave his matter, might I ask—while I know that the noble Earl is not responsible for what appears in the newspapers—whether he recollects reading in to-day's papers about a charter return flight to America which was cancelled in the early hours of this morning, and that one of the reasons given was that the tickets on that flight had been sold by people in this country within the last few days?

EARL FERRERS

My Lords, the noble Baroness is very ingenious; but she is referring to charter flights while her original Question referred to cut-price holiday tickets.

LORD TREFGARNE

My Lords, can the noble Earl say whether there will be any change in the provisions applying to "E" licences for carriers to be granted for the year 1972?

EARL FERRERS

My Lords, I am afraid that I cannot answer that question without notice. I will try to find out.

LORD SHACKLETON

My Lords, may I ask the noble Earl to consider again what my noble friend has said'?—for on reflection he will find that her supplementary question was entirely relevant to the Question on the Order Paper.

EARL FERRERS

My Lords, I shall certainly read in Hansard what the noble Baroness has said; but, as I listened, I thought that her supplementary question referred to charter flights. The question on the Order Paper refers specifically to cut-price holiday tickets.

LORD GARNSWORTHY

My Lords, does not the noble Earl recognise that the Question begins by asking Her Majesty's Government whether the time has come to simplify air tariff rates"?

EARL FERRERS

Yes, my Lords, but there is a considerable difference between scheduled air fares and tickets and charter flights.

BARONESS BURTON or COVENTRY

My Lords, is the noble Earl aware that I shall be glad to accept his invitation and to put down the Questions to which he has assured me he will give an answer?