§ Captain Orrasked the President of the Board of Trade (1) whether he will give an undertaking that neither of the Airways Corporations will be authorised to acquire substantial holdings by investment in or takeover of British United Airways;
(2) what discussions he has had with the British Overseas Airways Corporation about proposals for a takeover by the Corporation of the whole or part of British United Airways;
(3) what discussions he has had with British United Airways or with Air Holdings Limited about the nationalisation, in whole or in part, of the airline or about some other form of Government participation.
§ Mr. J. P. W. MallalieuAs a result of informal discussion with a number of organisations in the civil air transport 293W industry, including those mentioned in the Questions, the Board of Trade became increasingly aware last year of difficulties in the industry which have now become public knowledge. These were among the reasons which led to the setting up of the Inquiry into Civil Air Transport and I hope that issues of the kind raised in the Questions can now await the outcome of the work of that Committee.