HL Deb 17 October 1973 vol 345 cc288-9
LORD BESWICK

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 what action has been taken by the United Kingdom Government to secure a unified policy of the E.E.C. on the issue of ratification of the Montreal Convention for the Supression of Unlawful Acts against the safety of Civil Aviation.

BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE

My Lords, as one of the depositary Governments for ratification of the Montreal Convention, Her Majesty's Government have been active through their representatives abroad in urging ratification of the Convention by overseas Governments, including those of our partners in the European Community.

LORD BESWICK

My Lords, while thanking the noble Baroness for her Answer, and acknowledging the fact that the United Kingdom delegation at Rome made a very brave effort at the Conference there, may I ask her whether it is not a fact that we are now back in square one on this very important matter? Is it not also a fact that here we have a specific, defined issue, and if we cannot get agreement on it within the E.E.C. then on what aspect of external affairs can we expect to have a policy?

BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE

My Lords, as the noble Lord knows, the voting at the Rome Conference reflected various strongly-held views, among them, for example, that sanctions could be imposed only by the Security Council. Of the European Community member States, it is true that only the Netherlands and Denmark have so far ratified; but the Federal Republic of Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Denmark have signed or acceeded to the Convention—and the United Kingdom, of course—and we shall hope to put Orders in Council before this House shortly which will enable us to ratify.

LORD BESWICK

My Lords, may I ask the noble Baroness whether she would assure me that Her Majesty's Government will try to make this a test case for the E.E.C.? We are told that as their economic policy is a failure we can now concentrate on political matters. Here is a possibility; and can the noble Baroness assure me that something will be done by the E.E.C. collectively to apply the terms of the Montreal Convention?

BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE

My Lords, I understand that one of the main problems before some of the European Community countries is that they need internal domestic legislation; and, of course, this was also one of our problems, which we have now solved by the Protection of Aircraft Act.