§ Mr. Grimondasked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will take steps to ensure that air landing strips in Orkney and Shetland, threatened with closure owing to increased licence fees, are left open.
§ Mr. Clinton DavisI have no powers to ensure that air landing strips be kept open. I understand that in some cases operators will need to increase expenditure to meet the cost of compliance with higher safety standards as well as that on increased licence fees, but that financial assistance might in some cases be available under the terms of the Local Government (Scotland) Act, 1973.