§ Mr. Freemanasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about forthcoming proposals to change civil aviation legislation.
§ Mr. RidleyAs foreshadowed in my statement to the House on 12 December 1983, I made on 22 December an Order under section 10 of the Civil Aviation Act 1980 (SI 1983 No. 1940) appointing 1 April 1984 as the day on which the undertaking of the British Airways Board will vest in British Airways plc under section 3 of the Act.
By virtue of the 1980 Act certain other legislative changes will take effect on that day.
In the first place, the British Airways Board Act 1977, which has hitherto governed relations between my Department and British Airways, will cease to have effect. British Airways plc, the successor company to the British Airways Board, will be a Companies Act company governed by company law. Provisions of the 1980 Act relating to the company will operate from that day.
Secondly, provisions relating to the board in other enactments will also cease to have effect, most notably section 15 of the Civil Aviation Act 1949. This section, as subsequently amended provides that the terms and conditions of employment of persons employed by any independent civil aviation undertaking shall, except in certain defined circumstances, not be less favourable than the terms and conditions observed by the British Airways Board for comparable jobs. From 1 April, however, the 276W independent airlines will be able to negotiate terms and conditions with their employees freely and without reference to those offered by British Airways.