§ Mr. Masonasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will make a further statement on the number and names of local authorities who have so far applied to operate a future helicopter passenger service; and what estimate he has made as to how long it will be before an experimental provincial service will be in operation.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterNo local authority has applied to operate a helicopter passenger service: 77 authorities have expressed interest in the possibility of air companies providing local helicopter services or have sought advice from my Department about the reservation of sites for airstops to be developed when helicopters come into commercial service. Experimental helicopter services have already been operated as part of the development programme being carried out by British European Airways Helicopter Experimental Unit, on the routes Cardiff—Wrexham—Liverpool, London—Birmingham and London Airport—Southampton. I cannot say when further experimental provincial services might be justified.