§ Mr. Leslie Huckfieldasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will make a statement regarding the Civil Aviation Authority's proposals for advance booking charter operations.
§ Mr. OnslowNo.
§ Mr. Leslie Huckfieldasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) whether he will make a statement regarding discussions with the European Committee on Civil Aviation on proposals for advance booking charter flights;
(2) what proposals he has to extend advance booking charter flights currently proposed for the North Atlantic to other routes;
(3) what discussions he will hold with the United States Government about differences in current British and United States proposals for advance booking charters and their reconciliation;
(4) what representations he has received from foreign scheduled and supplemental carriers about proposals for advance booking charters; and what reply he has sent;
128W(5) what is the effect on British airline and tour operators of the agreement recently achieved between the European Civil Aviation Conference and the Canadian Government on the end of affinity group charters and the introduction of advance booking charters; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. OnslowProposals for advance booking charters were put by the United Kingdom to the other European administrations in the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC) last year. Following study, ECAC evolved a scheme, incorporating the main features of the United Kingdom proposals, which was then studied, together with United States and Canadian proposals, in tripartite meetings this year between representatives of the European, US and Canadian administrations. These tripartite discussions reached, at a meeting in Ottawa last month, successful results ad referendum to Governments, to be reported for approval on the European side to a meeting of ECAC later this month.
Subject to licensing and control action in the countries concerned, under their own powers, the international discussions' results should open the way for transatlantic charters on an advance booking basis from the 1973 summer season onwards. The licensing of United Kingdom airlines and travel organisers are matters for the Civil Aviation Authority, and that authority has issued its provisional conditions for charter flights on the new basis, in the light of the international discussions (with which it was closely associated) and has invited applications for licences from British operators. The USCAB has also issued new licensing rules, at present under litigation in the US Courts. The Canadian situation enabled the international understanding as to charters on the new basis with that country to be firmer, and the Canadian authorities envisage that affinity group charters will be replaced during next summer. Detailed requirements will naturally be likely to vary somewhat, country to country, according to law and circumstances. The successful results so far from the multilateral discussions suggest that sufficient compatibility in requirements should be reached for the performance of services to be practicable.
129WAttention was given first to the North Atlantic which presented the largest problem, but it is intended that consideration of other main routes will follow. I have not received representations from any foreign airlines, though several have indicated their interest in obtaining appropriate permits for such flights when available.
§ Mr. Leslie Huckfieldasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how he will enforce regulations for advanced booking charter flights.
§ Mr. OnslowThis is a matter for the Civil Aviation Authority.
§ Mr. Leslie Huckfieldasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many enforcement officers are employed by his Department who are solely concerned with regulations governing affinity group charter flights.
§ Mr. OnslowFlights by British airlines are a matter for the Civil Aviation Authority. For foreign airlines it is not possible to state a figure for staff solely concerned with affinity group charter flights: staff concerned are engaged also on other duties regarding non-scheduled flights of various types and their control. Some time of Civil Aviation Authority staff may also be given to enforcement upon foreign airlines at my Department's request.
§ Mr. Leslie Huckfieldasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received from affinity groups which organise charter flights, about the future of regulations governing such flights; and what reply he has sent.
§ Mr. OnslowNone.
§ Mr. Leslie Huckfieldasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how his Department enforces rules and regulations governing the organisation and operation of affinity group charter flights.
§ Mr. OnslowThis is a matter for the Civil Aviation Authority.
§ Mr. Leslie Huckfieldasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many passengers were removed in 1971, and until the latest convenient date 130W in 1972, from flights as a result of his Department's enforcement of regulations governing affinity group charter flights.
§ Mr. OnslowAs a result of the Department's actions airlines removed 475 passengers in 1971; and 216 in 1972 up to the end of March when in respect of British operators this matter became the responsibility of the Civil Aviation Authority.
§ Mr. Leslie Huckfieldasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many scheduled airline operators' licences were withdrawn in 1971, and to the latest convenient date in 1972, as a result of infringements of affinity group charter regulations.
§ Mr. OnslowNone, up to the end of March, 1972, when this became the responsibility of the Civil Aviation Authority.
§ Mr. Leslie Huckfieldasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many affinity groups were prevented from flying with British airlines in 1971, and to the latest convenient date in 1972, because of failure to meet affinity group charter regulation requirements.
§ Mr. OnslowThis became the responsibility of the Civil Aviation Authority on 1st April, 1972. Until then affinity group flights were operated by airlines without individual consent from the Air Transport Licensing Board and it is therefore impossible to say how many groups were refused carriage by an lines because of a failure to comply with the affinity group rules.
§ Mr. Leslie Huckfieldasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many affinity groups were prevented from flying with foreign airlines in 1971, and to the latest convenient date in 1972, because of failure to meet affinity group charter regulation requirements.
§ Mr. OnslowThe numbers prevented by foreign Governments' controls, or by the actions of airlines or charterers aware of the requirements here or abroad, or from IATA members conforming with their own association's requirements, are not known. In 1971 and 1972 to date, applications for 137 one-way flights by foreign airlines were not granted, because 131W my Department was not satisfied that groups to be carried complied with the criteria. In addition a number of applications were withdrawn by airlines following requests by my Department for additional information on the groups.
§ Mr. Leslie Huckfieldasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proposals he has to ensure that passengers on affinity group charter flights are aware of the requirements of British and international regulations.
§ Mr. OnslowThis is a matter for the Civil Aviation Authority.
§ Mr. Leslie Huckfieldasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proposals he has to ensure that passengers now booking for advance booking charter flights are aware of regulations governing these in this country and abroad.
§ Mr. OnslowThis is a matter for the Civil Aviation Authority.
§ Mr. Leslie Huckfieldasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many airlines were fined in 1970 and 1971, and to the latest convenient date in 1972, for breaches of British regulations governing affinity group charter flights.
§ Mr. OnslowOne, up to the end of March, 1972. In so far as British operators are concerned this became a matter for the Civil Aviation Authority on 1st April, 1972.
§ Mr. Leslie Huckfieldasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proposals he has for price control on advance booking charter flights.
§ Mr. OnslowThis is a matter for the Civil Aviation Authority.
§ Mr. Leslie Huckfieldasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proposals he has for capacity control on advance booking charter flights.
§ Mr. OnslowThis is a matter for the Civil Aviation Authority.
§ Mr. Leslie Huckfieldasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will make a statement on the limitations imposed by his Department on incoming inclusive tour flights by United States supplemental carriers.
132W
§ Mr. OnslowBoth the United States authorities and my Department in giving permits for United States operator's flights require that charter flight inclusive tours between the United States and this country should observe a minimum price control and that the tours should visit not less than three places. In concert with administrations of the European Civil Aviation Conference my Department has also controlled the overall number of Eastbound inclusive tour charter flights operated by United States airlines. Limitations are imposed by the United authorities affecting the volume of charter flights from that country by United Kingdom independent airlines.
§ Mr. Leslie Huckfieldasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures he will take to prevent last-minute substitution of passengers on advance booking charter flights.
§ Mr. OnslowThis is a matter for the Civil Aviation Authority.
§ Mr. Leslie Huckfieldasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he is satisfied with information given to the public about the differences and regulations governing scheduled, advance booking charter and affinity group charter flights.
§ Mr. OnslowThis is a matter for the Civil Aviation Authority.
§ Mr. Leslie Huckfieldasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will take steps to increase public awareness of the differences in the regulations governing scheduled advance booking and affinity group charter regulations.
§ Mr. OnslowThis is a matter for the Civil Aviation Authority.
§ Mr. Leslie Huckfieldasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received from tour operators about the extension of the advance booking charter concept to the Far East and Australian routes; and what reply he has sent.
§ Mr. OnslowNone. This is a matter for the Civil Aviation Authority.
133W
§ Mr. Leslie Huckfieldasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what definitional guidance he will supply to local authority officers under the Trade Descriptions Act concerning the advertisement in newspapers and elsewhere of "scheduled "," charter ", "low cost ", "economical" and "discount" flights in connection with the introduction of advance booking charter flights.
§ Sir G. HoweI am prepared to consider carefully any reasoned case that is put to me for an order under Section 15 of the Act to define a particular term.