B.E.A. WEST LONDON AIR TERMINAL (Hansard, 25 October 1972)

§ BARONESS BURTON OF COVENTRY
My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

EARL FERRERS
My Lords, I confirmed on October 18 that the assurance which I gave on September 21, in which I stated that B.E.A. had decided not to withdraw check-in facilities at West London Air Terminal during the course of 1973, stands, and I have nothing further to add to that assurance.

§ BARONESS BURTON OF COVENTRY
I quite understand that, my Lords. Is the Minister aware that I put down this Question originally because in the London Evening Standard, The Times and the Financial Times respectively on October 12 and 13 there were statements to the effect that these facilities would be withdrawn in the summer, in June and in September/October, and that all these are long before the end of 1973? Does not the Minister think it likely that all this incorrect information came from the same source and should it not be corrected? Also, may I ask the Minister whether by any chance he saw a small paragraph in to-day's Times which states that: British European Airways said yesterday that it had made no decision to withdraw check-in facilities for passengers and their baggage at the West London air terminal. The statement, a major reversal of policy, contradicts a statement 12 days ago in the airline's staff newspaper."? May I ask the Minister whether he does not think that it would be advantageous if some general publicity were given to this fact, both to the Press and to the general public, and not just by hole-in-the-corner methods by some small paragraph in an individual paper?

EARL FERRERS
My Lords, I was not aware of the various newspaper reports to which the noble Baroness referred and which caused her to put down this Question. I could not help thinking that if the noble Baroness were less gullible about what she reads in the papers and accepted more of what she is given by way of assurance, she might not have put down this Question. But it is not for me to say what B.E.A. publish following newspaper reports. I have no control over that.

§ LORD SHACKLETON
My Lords, is the noble Earl aware that many of your Lordships are quite unaware of what this is all about, and that they are encouraged in this situation by the sort of answers we get from the noble Earl? Also, may I ask him not to refer to noble Lords as "gullible" if, although the Government do not take official notice, they quote a number of newspapers? I think an apology is called for.

EARL FERRERS
My Lords, of course I will apologise if I have been in any way offensive. That is the last thing 2145 that I wish to be. I merely tried to explain that I have given an assurance in this House that a decision to close the check-in facilities will not be made until the Metra Group has reported. I have also given an assurance on more than one occasion to the noble Baroness that any decision to close the check-in facilities will not be taken during the course of 1973. I am prepared to repeat both of those statements, but I cannot give her the assurance that they will find the publicity which she requires.

§ BARONESS BURTON OF COVENTRY
My Lords, may I ask the Minister whether he is aware that I am not in the least offended? I am sure he would not wish to be offensive and I certainly do not take umbrage. Also, may I ask him whether he is aware that if I had been less persistent we should not have reached the stage which we are at to-day?

EARL FERRERS
My Lords, I am very well aware that the noble Baroness is very persistent.

§ LORD TREFGARNE
My Lords, might not the solution to this problem be some form of modest rebuke to the source of the original B.E.A. remark, perhaps in line with the public rebuke administered to the unfortunate Governor of Holloway Prison?

EARL FERRERS
My Lords, that might be one of the solutions, but it is not the one which the Government have chosen.