HL Deb 22 June 1978 vol 393 cc1375-7
Baroness BURTON of COVENTRY

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 whether the Airline Users' Committee, now renamed the Air Transport Users' Committee, is recognised as the consumer body covering air travellers and, if so, whether it is the only public service consumer council to which the Government do not propose to give statutory status.

Baroness STEDMAN

My Lords, the Government recognise the Air Transport Users' Committee as the consumer body specifically promoting the interests of all air travellers. There are also individual Airport Consultative Committees which protect the interests of airport users. At present, we have no plans to make the AUC statutory.

Baroness BURTON of COVENTRY

My Lords, apart from the unfairness, I think that that reply has serious implications and I hope the House will agree with me. Might I ask the Minister whether I am correct in my understanding that, at the moment, the Post Office Users' National Council and the National Gas Consumers' Council, being statutory bodies, have the right to be informed and consulted beforehand by the industries concerned on major consumer plans? Am I also right in understanding that it is the intention of the Government to give statutory standing and similar rights to the National Electricity Consumers', the National Transport Consumers' and the Domestic Coal Consumers' Councils, and that legislation to this effect is to be introduced as soon as possible? Finally, might I ask the Minister what pressures have been brought to bear to exclude the Airline Users' Committee from this list?

Baroness STEDMAN

My Lords, my noble friend is quite right. The Airline Users' Committee is the only one that is not likely to have statutory status in the near future. But there are difficulties in giving the AUC statutory rights similar to those that are enjoyed by the nationalised industry consumer councils, since the AUC is in a position to consider the services of all airlines, whether private or nationalised, and not only British Airways.

Baroness BURTON of COVENTRY

My Lords, might I ask the Minister whether she recalls that I have a communication in writing from the Ministry, which stated that there would be no insuperable difficulties in making the Airline Users' Committee statutory, if the Government really wished to do so?

Baroness STEDMAN

My Lords, I do not know that there would be no insuperable difficulties, but there would be difficulties about it. The Government believe that the consumer councils ought to be seen to be financially independent of the industry, and the position of the AUC is different from the others, because they get their finance from the Civil Aviation Authority. The situation is rather different in the airport industry, because British Airways have their own consumer councils which they consult about changes in services, fares and so on. British Airways also face the possibility of having to defend any proposed changes, including fares variations, before a public inquiry. This is a powerful constraint on them, but there are difficulties, because the Airline Users' Committee has some responsibility for what all the airlines, private or nationalised, do, and not just British Airways. That is where our difficulties lie.

Lord BOYD CARPENTER

My Lords, will the noble Baroness agree that the noble Lord who set up this Committee—modesty forbids more precise definition—gave to the Committee something much more valuable than statutory status, by appointing her noble friend, the noble Baroness behind her, as a member of that Committee?

Baroness STEDMAN

My Lords, I am sure that I, and all those who preceded me in my position at this Dispatch Box, welcome the fact that my noble friend is a member and is able to keep the House advised on what is happening.

Baroness BURTON of COVENTRY

My Lords, is the Minister aware that I must pay a reciprocal compliment to the former chairman of the Airline Users' Committee, who was always most fair in dealing with most recalcitrant members. But may I ask the House whether it does not agree that nobody can equal the Government for putting up reasons for not doing something which they ought to do?

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