Deregulation (Hansard, 27 November 1992)

§ Mr. Sproat
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which Minister in his Department is responsible for the oversight of deregulation of regulatory matters which fall within the responsibility of his Department.

§ Mr. Norris
I am.

§ Mr. Sproat
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the main measures of deregulation, or simplification of regulation, which his Department has carried out, or caused to be carried out, since the last general election.

§ Mr. Norris
Since the general election, we have carried out a number of measures of deregulation, including the deregulation of motorway service areas; and European Community measures on liberalising international coach services, international road haulage and road passenger cabotage services.
In air transport, the Government have been enthusiastic supporters of the EC's third package of aviation measures, establishing a single market in aviation form 1 January 1993. From that date, airlines meeting safety, common financial fitness and EC nationality and effective control criteria will be entitled to an operating licence giving unrestricted access to most intra-Community routes; and there will be free setting of air fares, subject to safeguards against predatory and excessive pricing.
Agreement has also been reached in principle on a regulation liberalising shipping cabotage services throughout the European Community.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport has recently announced proposals which would give local authorities greater discretion in setting speed limits on local roads. In particular, it is proposed that local authorities would no longer need the Secretary of State's consent before establishing a speed limit on a principal road.
We intend shortly to lay regulations before Parliament to allow right of access to the railway network to certain international services, in order to implement EC directive 91/440; and to introduce legislation at the earliest practicable opportunity to extend the benefits of deregulation to bus services in London.