§ 2.32 p.m.
§ Baroness BURTON of COVENTRYMy 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 they have received advice from the Office of Fair Trading as to whether or not the IATA agreement and procedure concerning the withdrawal of licences from small travel agencies is a restrictive practice; if so, what subsequent action has been taken; if not, when such advice may be expected.
Lord ORAMMy Lords, the question whether an agreement is registrable under the restrictive trade practices legislation is a matter for the Director General of Fair Trading and ultimately for the courts. I understand that the Director General considers that the withdrawal of licences by IATA does not fall within the scope of the legislation. Since my noble friend's Question clearly relates to the problem debated on 12th July, I should also say that 21 of 22 travel agency locations whose appointments were withdrawn by IATA have now been reinstated, and action against a further four agencies 200 has been suspended. One agency declined the offer of reinstatement.
§ Baroness BURTON of COVENTRYMy Lords, I am delighted at the successful and very speedy outcome of what was raised in your Lordships' House by Members on all sides on the date to which my noble friend has just referred. Does he not agree that in this case it would have been nice to pay tribute to noble Lords in all parts of the House who raised this matter, who got it put through, bearing in mind that without their raising it nothing at all would have been done?
Lord ORAMMy Lords, I have no hesitation in paying the tribute which my noble friend asks me to pay. Perhaps it would not have been easy to do that within the opening Answer, but that does not detract from the warmth of my congratulations.
§ Baroness BURTON of COVENTRYMy Lords, might I include in that list of people to be congratulated the Minister who really did help us very much on that occasion?
§ Earl AMHERSTMy Lords, can the noble Lord tell us whether, in view of all this, IATA is to issue a new travel agency rule book, and if so, when? Will it, apart from embracing Europe, extend to other parts of the civilised world?
Lord ORAMMy Lords, we should not be mistaken as to how far the action has gone as a result of the debate in your Lordships' House. This was action taken by the Civil Aviation Authority which withdrew its approval of the relevant provisions of Resolution 810a of IATA. So the rather widesweeping conclusion about which the noble Earl asks does not follow from what has happened.