§ Mr. Ledgerasked the President of the Board of Trade (1) whether he satisfield that the route-rights granted to the British United Island Airways will be fully exploited in the interests of the travelling public; and if he will make a statement;
(2) to what extent he has considered alternative proposals for the route-rights granted to British United Island Airways on the basis that difficulty in recruiting pilots prevents them from properly and fully exploiting these rights.
§ Mr. William RodgersBritish United Island Airways is a new Company which 75W at present holds no air service licences. If the company wishes to have transferred to it the licences held by other airlines within the British United Airways group, it must apply within 28 days to the Air Transport Licensing Board, with whom, except in the event of an appeal to my right hon. Friend, the decision lies. I am not aware that the company is having difficulty in recruiting pilots, but I understand that there is a dispute between the company and the trades unions regarding the pilots' contracts of service.