§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the new personal baggage rules proposed for airline passengers by the Civil Aviation Authority; if he will seek to ensure that such rules are introduced by all international airlines; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Michael SpicerThe Civil Aviation Authority has a statutory responsibility for regulations relating to the carriage and stowage of cabin baggage in British registered aircraft. The amount of hand baggage passengers are taking into the cabin has tended to increase and the authority is consulting the aviation industry and associated organisations about amendments to articles 27 and 33 of the Air Navigation Order 1980, which it proposes to recommend to the Secretary of State.
The carriage of cabin baggage on foreign registered aircraft is the responsibility of the state of registry through its national regulations and not of Her Majesty's Government. We can of course seek to persuade other countries to follow the example of any changes which we adopt.