§ 3.11 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, in view of the further discussion that has taken place, they are willing to reconsider the anomaly whereby, while recognising the Air Transport Users' Committee as the consumer body specifically promoting the interests of all air travellers, the Committee at present remains the only committee thus recognised to which the Government intend to refuse statutory status with the corrollary right of advance information and consultation on the relevant consumer aspects affecting air travellers by the industry concerned; and whether they will make a Statement.
§ Baroness STEDMANMy Lords, the Government have noted the new terms of reference which have been given to the Air Transport Users' Committee as well as the changes in its chairmanship and structure. We are following the implementation of these new arrangements with interest, and will be glad to learn what consequences have flowed from them. However, I can assure my noble friend that we are well aware of her reservations about the AUC's lack of statutory status, and we shall pay particular attention to this in our considerations.
§ Baroness BURTON of COVENTRYMy Lords, is my noble friend aware that I am very sorry that she had to say what she did in the first half of her Answer, because that is very old stuff which goes back a long way and really has no validity at all? With regard to the rest of her Answer, is my noble friend aware that I am glad to have seen both the Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State concerned and that they will consider what I have said on this matter? Is she also aware that I hope that, when we return after the Recess, we shall at last have reached some conclusion whereby air travellers are not discriminated against in comparison with all other sections of the community?
§ Baroness STEDMANMy Lords, I am aware that my noble friend has seen both my honourable friends in the Department of Trade and in the Department of Prices and Consumer Protection. As to any progress which is being made, I am much too modest to claim any credit for it—I put it all at the door of the doggedness of my noble friend in pursuing this subject—but I hope that when we get back after the Recess we might have something more firm to report to the House.
§ Baroness ELLIOT of HARWOODMy Lords, is it not possible for the Government Departments to realise that they really are discriminating against the Air Transport Users' Committee? All the other consumer committees which were started some years ago—and I was responsible, when I was chairman of the Consumer Council, for some of them—have real position and status in their various interests. This one does not. Surely it is most unfair that the air transport users should be discriminated against in this matter. I really think it is time that the Government took this matter seriously and tried to do more about it than just giving charming and very nice answers, but not saying, "We intend to do something".
§ Baroness STEDMANMy Lords, I must rebut the charge that the Government are not trying to do anything about this, but there are differences. We accept that there is an anomaly in so far as the Air Transport Users' Committee is concerned, but there are differences between the public service nationalised industries, such as gas and electricity, and the air travel industry which is marked by the existence of a number of separate airlines, both British and foreign. That is where we have the problems because we are not dealing solely with the British airlines. In the past, the AUC has been treated differently from the nationalised industry consumer councils. For the future, as I said, my noble friend has been making personal representations to both the Departments concerned, and we shall continue to look at ways of strengthening the consumer representation, including whether it would be beneficial to give the AUC the same sort of responsibilities and position as the other consumer councils.
Lord BRUCE of DONINGTONMy Lords, in view of the number of exchanges on this particular subject which have taken place over the past two years owing to the diligence of my noble friend, (which will be within the recollection of noble Lords), will my noble friend confirm that her right honourable friend, as a Minister, still retains the final power of direction over the public authorities concerned?
§ Baroness STEDMANMy Lords, the CAA are not in the same position as an ordinary nationalised industry, in that they are responsible for all the airlines; and, as I have said, there are difficulties and there are differences between the Air Transport Users' Committee and the other consumer committees. What we are doing at the moment is getting together the Department of Trade and the Department of Prices and Consumer Protection to see whether there is a justifiable way around this situation which will be to everyone's satisfaction, as a result of which we might perhaps be able to make the Air Transport Users' Committee a statutory committee with exactly the same terms and responsibilities as all the others. But the negotiations are only just starting. Perhaps after the Recess I shall be able to give better news.