§ Mr. Robert Atkinsasked the Minister for Trade why internal flights in the United Kingdom are charged to Eurocontrol; and why this is not the case in France and Austria.
§ Mr. SproatIt is the policy of Her Majesty's Government that the costs incurred in providing air navigation services should be met by the users of those services. Hence, with certain limited exceptions, flights in the United Kingdom airspace are charged for the facilities, and invoiced by Eurocontrol on behalf of the Civil Aviation Authority. I understand that Austria and France as a matter of national policy do not recover costs in this way for flights which take place wholly within their borders—irrespective of the nationality of the operator. The associated costs are, however, excluded in the calculation of charges for international flights through the airspace of those two countries.