HL Deb 12 June 1972 vol 331 cc535-7
BARONESS BURTON OF COVENTRY

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 whether the British Airways Board has investigated the possibility, on international flights, of designating certain sections in planes as non-smoking sections and, if not, whether they will instruct the Board to do so in view of the considerable discomfort caused to many passengers.

EARL FERRERS

My Lords, I understand that the British Airways Board have not investigated this possibility, and the Government do not propose to direct them to do so.

BARONESS BURTON OF COVENTRY

My Lords, while not thanking the noble Earl for that unhelpful reply, I wonder whether I might ask him why the Government do not propose to ask the British Airways Board to look into this matter. Is he aware that non-smokers are considered both on rail and on buses, and on the Underground; and is there the slightest reason why they should not be considered on air transport?

EARL FERRERS

No, my Lords; in fact, this is a matter for the commercial judgment of both B.O.A.C. and B.E.A. B.O.A.C. have set aside about a quarter of their seats for this purpose.

BARONESS BURTON OF COVENTRY

My Lords, might I ask the noble Earl whether he would be prepared to have the matter pursued with B.E.A.? Is he aware that B.E.A. have not done any- thing about this, and that it would be helpful if they too would look into this matter of discomfort to many of their passengers?

EARL FERRERS

My Lords, I am sure that what the noble Baroness says has a great deal of force behind it, but this is a matter of commercial judgment for B.E.A. and not one in which Her Majesty's Government believe they should direct the British Airways Board.

LORD SHINWELL

My Lords, although I certainly have no objection to what the noble Baroness suggests, and should welcome provision on passenger aircraft so that those who are non-smokers should not be in any way interfered with, may we have some arrangements also so that those who do smoke do not have their accommodation taken up by those who do not smoke?

EARL FERRERS

My Lords, I am quite certain that B.E.A. will take the noble Lord's point into account just as much as they will that of the noble Baroness.

BARONESS SUMMERSKILL

My Lords, may I ask whether it is commercially profitable, apart altogether from reasons of health, to insist that all passengers should breath polluted air?

EARL FERRERS

My Lords, I do not think the Government believe that it is their duty to impose a requirement such as this upon the British Airways Board. In the Government's judgment it is correct that this kind of operational decision should be a matter for both B.E.A. and B.O.A.C. Of course, the Government would welcome any moves which any airlines may make in this respect, but it is quite a different matter to direct them to take the action which the noble Baroness requires.

LORD THOMAS

My Lords, is the noble Earl aware that at least on a B.O.A.C. flight on Friday night from Chicago to London passengers were asked whether they would like to sit in a non-smoking or a smoking section, to the great comfort of both non-smokers and smokers?

EARL FERRERS

My Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend. That is I think what I said, and it is a reflection of what B.O.A.C. does in general. My Lords, should not the comfort of passengers who are paying for their flight be taken into account as well as commercial viability; and is it unreasonable to ask—and not on grounds of health—that people who really dislike the smell of the smoke, which becomes very offensive on a long journey, should have account taken of their desires?

EARL FERRERS

Yes, my Lords; I think that what the noble Baroness says has a great deal to it. All I would assure her is that we believe it would be wrong to impose on B.E.A. and B.O.A.C. a requirement which does not bear upon either their British or their foreign counterparts. If it is commercially desirable—and the point which the noble Baroness has made would suggest that it is—I should think that B.E.A. will undertake to do this.

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