HL Deb 28 February 1984 vol 448 cc1152-4

2.42 p.m.

Baroness Burton of Coventry

My Lords. I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken, in conjunction with national airlines operating from the United Kingdom, to establish a more attractive range of fares for air travellers.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces (Lord Trefgarne)

My Lords, the Government and the Civil Aviation Authority have approved numerous proposals put forward by the airlines for innovative low fares and have disapproved a number of proposals for unjustified increases. Where other governments are reluctant to approve our own airlines' innovative fares proposals we have sought, and in some cases obtained, their approval through bilateral negotiations. Within Europe the Government are, in addition, seeking more scope for the airlines to exercise their own commercial judgment in relation to fares charged; it is, of course, primarily to the commercial judgment of the airlines that we must look on these matters.

Baroness Burton of Coventry

My Lords, I was on a rather different range of fares from what the noble Lord has discussed. Might I ask him if he would agree that the range of fares at the moment is far too wide and that it would be greatly to the benefit of travellers and agents alike if the number could be reduced? Arising from that, might I ask him on the question of discounted tickets, which is allied to the range of fares, whether he would not feel that it would be a good idea if all discounted tickets could be available through all agencies for all travellers and not confined only to bucket shops?

Lord Trefgarne

My Lords, I am afraid that, with regard to the last supplementary question that the noble Baroness has put, I would have to say, No; because the tickets to which the noble Baroness refers are sold outside the provisions of the relative Air Services Agreement or the permit issued under it. As for the wide range of fares to which she referred, I would say that that, again, is a matter for the airlines themselves to resolve. If they see an outlet for their services through a wide range of fares, then they should be allowed to propose that.

Baroness Burton of Coventry

My Lords, if I may take that a step further, I hope that the noble Lord will not feel that he has got to stonewall on every question that I ask. Is he aware that British Airways are attempting to deal with this availability of low-price tickets to everybody but that such a plan, known as remaindering, needs route-by-route agreement? If that is correct, would the Government be prepared to ask the Civil Aviation Authority to help secure such agreements?

Lord Trefgarne

My Lords, I think that if it is a question of negotiating with other governments, as generally it is, then it is a matter for the Government themselves and not for the Civil Aviation Authority; although the Government operate very closely in accordance with the advice of the CAA in these matters.

Baroness Burton of Coventry

My Lords, do I understand from the Minister's reply to my last supplementary question—a reply which I hopefully think was meant to be helpful—that the Government would be prepared to help in securing route-by-route agreement if they were asked to do so in connection with this remaindering plan?

Lord Trefgarne

My Lords, I have not seen the details of the plan to which the noble Baroness refers, but if it meets the general criteria to which I have referred then the Government would certainly support it.