§ 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 what action has been taken, either by the European Commission or by the Council of Ministers, following replies received from the 10 European airlines to the letter sent them by the Commission on 10th July concerning the liberalising of air transport within the Community.
§ Viscount DavidsonMy Lords, I understand that a number of airlines have asked the Commission for more time to reply to the Article 89 letters and that a two-month extension has been granted. The Council is meanwhile continuing with negotiations on the liberalisation of intra-Community air transport. The recent informal Council showed there is some willingness to make progress under the British Presidency.
§ Baroness Burton of CoventryMy Lords, while regretting this decision, as the airlines have been preparing themselves ever since the Nouvelles Frontières decision last May, may I ask the Minister whether it is correct that this delay will bring us up to the time of the next meeting of the Council of Transport Ministers in mid-November?
If that is the case, may I further ask the Minister whether he can give an assurance that the Secretary of State for Transport, as president, will demand that action be taken at that meeting?
§ Viscount DavidsonMy Lords, I can confirm that the noble Baroness is absolutely right about the timing. At that time, when the new deadline is reached, the Commission will then consider the position. If the infringements are not brought to an end it has said that it will be obliged to issue reasoned decisions and authorise member states to take the measures needed to remedy the situation.
§ Baroness Burton of CoventryMy Lords, in order to get the background quite right on this, may I ask the Minister whether it is not correct that the Commission can take action independently of the Council and that the British Government also can take action independently through Article 88 of the Treaty of Rome?
§ Viscount DavidsonMy Lords, again the noble Baroness is quite right. The Commission can and will be taking action if necessary.
§ Lord UnderhillMy Lords, is the noble Viscount aware of the press release of a speech made by the Secretary of State for Transport to the European Parliament Transport Committee in which he spoke about the two meetings of the Air Transport Committee to which the noble Baroness referred? The Secretary of State also referred on two occasions in that speech to an informal meeting that he was having with Ministers on 3rd October. He intended to concentrate on aviation. Is it possible to say what happened at that informal meeting?
§ Viscount DavidsonMy Lords, it is possible to say. I or my noble friend will be saying what happened next Thursday, as the noble Baroness, Lady Burton, has tabled a Question along those exact lines.