§ Mr. Stephen Rossasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will seek to extend the progress made in negotiating liberal aviation arrangements within the European Economic Community to include countries outside Europe and in particular Singapore; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Michael SpicerAs was made clear in the White Paper on airports policy, (Cmnd. 9542), the Government will encourage the liberalisation of air services wherever foreign competition is fair and British interests are not prejudiced. However, international aviation on long-haul routes remains heavily regulated, and in these circumstances increased access by foreign airlines to the United Kingdom must be balanced by parallel improvements in access, of equivalent value, for United Kingdom airlines to that country.
This policy will continue to be applied in our air services arrangements with Singapore.
§ Mr. Arnoldasked the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate is available to him of (a) potential passenger traffic to Singapore and beyond from Manchester, (b) the number of passengers to Singapore and beyond from the north who currently fly from London and (c) the number of passengers from the north who currently interline to Amsterdam in order to pick up flights to Singapore and beyond.
§ Mr. Michael SpicerThe information available to me is as follows:
- (a) Estimates of potential passenger demand from Manchester vary, but the demand to Singapore is probably in the region of 15,000 passengers per annum, with a similar demand to points beyond.
- (b) Estimates suggest that up to 26,000 passengers per annum from the north-west, north and Yorkshire-Humberside planning regions travel through London with Singapore as their immediate or final destination.
- (c) Reliable estimates of the numbers of passengers travelling to Singapore with only a transit stop in Amsterdam are not available.