§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what criteria he uses in deciding whether to renew licences for the commercial carriage of passengers by privately owned airlines.
WEST MIDLANDS REGION (Schemes of 15,000 sq. ft. and over) Approvals Number Area '000 sq. ft. Estimated Additional Employment* Refusals Number† 1971 August … … 6 140 90 1 September … … 9 186 140 Nil October … … 9 342 360 Nil November … … 14 478 220 1 December … … 11 445 820 1 1972 January … … 12 380 1,300 2 February … … 15 661 240 Nil March … … 16 416 350 1 April … … 19 503 540 3† May … … 21 1,369 1,560 1 June … … 23 931 830 Nil July … … 10 593 600 2 August … … 11 868 830 1 September … … 13 639 390 Nil * Jobs estimated by the applicants to arise when the projects are complete and fully manned. † Details cannot be provided where fewer than three schemes are involved because of the risk of disclosing information given in confidence by firms. The three refusals in April, 1972, amounted to a total area of 65,000 sq. ft. and a total estimated additional employment of 230.