HL Deb 09 December 1976 vol 378 cc679-81

3.17 p.m.

Lord SWANSEA

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 why the helicopter service to the Isles of Scilly has been suspended and when it is expected to be resumed.

Lord ORAM

My Lords, owing to a temporary shortage of helicopter capacity and the overriding need to fulfil commitments in the North Sea oilfields, the service to the Isles of Scilly has had to be replaced temporarily with a fixed wing service. The normal service is due to be resumed in March as soon as additional helicopters which British Airways have on order are available.

Lord SWANSEA

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord for that Answer, which I cannot say is very encouraging. Is he aware that the withdrawal of the helicopter service at the very short notice of only a few days and its replacement by fixed wing aircraft of very much smaller capacity has been a great inconvenience to the islanders and to others at a time when the ferry has been taken out of service for its annual overhaul?

Lord ORAM

My Lords, I recognise that the aircraft now being used has less capacity than the helicopter, but twice as many flights are being provided by the smaller aircraft. I am informed that this is quite sufficient to cater for the demand at this time of the year.

Lord O'HAGAN

My Lords, were British Airways under any form of contractual obligation to provide a helicopter? What form of arrangement was entered into when this service was started? Has the noble Lord consulted Sir Harold Wilson as to what he thinks about this suspension?

Lord ORAM

My Lords, my right honourable friend no doubt has access to the body to which my noble friend Lady Burton belongs, the Airline Users' Committee, and he will use that if he has any particular complaint. I do not know whether or not he is planning to spend his Christmas holiday there. On the question of the contract, I believe that the temporary use of the fixed wing aircraft fully conforms to the contract, but I shall go into it in more detail and, if I am wrong, let the noble Lord know.

Lord INGLEWOOD

My Lords, quite apart from the convenience of any individual traveller, can the noble Lord give us any indication of the comparative costs per passenger of running a fixed wing aircraft and a helicopter between the Isles of Scilly and the mainland?

Lord ORAM

My Lords, certainly not without notice.

Lord CARR of HADLEY

My Lords, can the noble Lord tell us whether British Airways charge the same fare for this alternative and inferior service?

Lord ORAM

My Lords, on that point again I am afraid I need notice, but I will write to the noble Lord.