§ Lord BALFOUR of INCHRYEMy 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, before making any Ministerial announcement of a new civil aviation policy prepared by Government Departments, they will consider setting up an independent committee, on the lines of the former Edwards Committee, in order to allow private and Government operators and other interested parties opportunity for their views on future civil aviation policy for the United Kingdom to be made known to and considered by that committee, which would report its findings and recommendations to Her Majesty's Government.
§ The MINISTER of STATE, DEPARTMENT of INDUSTRY (Lord Beswick)My Lords, the airlines and other interested parties were given an opportunity to make their views known in the course of the Review of Civil Aviation Policy which has recently been completed. My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Trade considers that it would be in the best interests of the airline industry if he were to end uncertainty by announcing his decisions on the Review as soon as possible.
§ Lord BALFOUR of INCHRYEMy Lords, may we expect in the near future, before the Summer Recess, a declaration by Her Majesty's Government of policy on civil aviation? Secondly, would it not command a wider measure of public support and support from operators, Government and private, if before such a policy declaration was made, the policy proposed had been reviewed and its possibilities, present and future, reported upon by an independent committee of experts such as the Edwards Committee on whose Report the present policy is founded?
§ Lord BESWICKMy Lords, I was a great supporter of the kind of review we had which resulted in the Edwards Report, but I do not think it would have been advisable to have another wide-ranging and long-sitting committee 153 again going into the industry. As to the first part of the noble Lord's question, although the Governmental machine tends to become a little snarled up at this time of year, I hope it will be possible to make a statement before the Recess.
§ The Earl of KINNOULLMy Lords, can the Minister give an undertaking that, if a major decision is to be made possibly affecting the future of British Caledonian, the evidence the Government have as a result of this Review will be published before that decision is made?
§ Lord BESWICKMy Lords, I suppose it depends upon what one means by a "major decision". If a decision was so major—I am talking in hypothetical terms—it may even be necessary to have legislation. As for the evidence given to the Review Committee, I shall see whether it is possible to publish factual statistical information.