§ Lord Morris of Manchesterasked Her Majesty's Government:
What representations the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions has received from the Council for Travel and Tourism about the impact of the "terrorist crisis on the travel and tourism industry" and the need for government assistance; what reply is being sent; and what action is being considered. [HL869]
§ The Minister of State, Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (Lord Falconer of Thoroton)My right honourable friend the Secretary of State has received a letter from the Council for Travel and Tourism requesting government assistance for airlines and airports and calling for Ministers to reassure the public that it is safe to fly.
The council has been informed that the Government have made no decisions about whether to make aid available to UK airlines, other than to underwrite third-party war risk insurance. Control of state aid is a matter for the European Commission and any further aid offered would have to be compatible with 164WA the Commission's guidelines on emergency aid measures, as set out in its recent communication on the repercussions of the terrorist attacks in the United States on the air transport industry.
My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions has recently completed a tour of UK airports, promoting air travel.