§ Baroness Burton of CoventryMy 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, further to their Answer on 24th October (col. 1297) concerning the European Commission and European airlines, whether they will make a statement on the decisions reached and recommendations made at the meeting of the Council of Transport Ministers held on 14th November.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Transport (The Earl of Caithness)My Lords, no decisions on air transport were taken at the council on 14th November. May I refer the noble Baroness to my Answer to her Question on 24th October, when I said that, with the Dutch and British presidencies following the Luxembourg presidency, we saw the council on 14th November as the real start of the battle. Failing this, the full rigour of the competition rules would have to be applied in practice as well as in principle.
§ Baroness Burton of CoventryMy Lords, I appreciate the frankness of the Minister's reply, the total content of which I imagine would be unacceptable to both of us. May I ask him whether the patience of the Council of Transport Ministers has now become exhausted and whether the Commission has stated that it will now refer the whole matter to the European Court of Justice? If that is correct, could he say when the Commission proposes to take action?
The Earl of CaithnessMy Lords, I agree with the noble Baroness and sympathise with her. No one is keener to take action on this matter than we are. The situation at present is not acceptable. The patience, I think, will run out at the end of next year if no agreement has been reached by the time we have ceased our term of presidency; but let us hope that we can make progress during the next year, because that is by far the best way to proceed rather than by taking the matter to the European Court of Justice.
§ Baroness Burton of CoventryMy Lords, could the Minister give the House any information about future meetings of the Council of Transport Ministers; and may I ask him, in case I heard him incorrectly, whether he said that the Commission was prepared to wait until the end of next year before doing anything?
The Earl of CaithnessNo, my Lords; I think that, with regard to the last point, the noble Baroness 654 misinterpreted what I said. We want to take action immediately, but if no concrete action has been taken and no progress has been made by the end of next year then we shall have to consider other means of taking action, such as going to the European Court of Justice. With regard to future council meetings, we understand that the Dutch are planning an informal meeting on 9th January followed by formal meetings on 27th March, 5th May and possibly 19th June.
§ Baroness Burton of CoventryMy Lords, does the noble Earl the Minister understand that the latter part of that reply is totally acceptable and that we shall all look forward to hearing what transpires on January 9th?
§ Lord UnderhillMy Lords, may I ask the Minister whether he will bear in mind the supplementary question which I put on 24th October, asking that the Ministers will keep in mind the need for a proper balance between competition and co-ordination? In his reply the Minister referred to the question of safety only, but the question of co-ordination and competition being balanced is a very important one.
The Earl of CaithnessMy Lords, the noble Lord has absolutely the right point. That is why it is better to do this thing through the council rather than by going through the courts.