§ Mr. Bill Walkerasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will issue guidelines to the Civil Aviation Authority following the privatisation of British Airways, with a view to ensuring free and fair competition in British civil aviation.
§ Mr. Michael SpicerIt remains one of the main objectives of the Government's airline policy to ensure adequate safeguards against anti-competitive or predatory behaviour. At my right hon. Friend's request the CAA is currently considering what information it needs to monitor airlines' activities. He has no power, however, to issue guidelines to the CAA and the authority must in any case be bound by its duties under the Civil Aviation Act 1982. But as the 1984 White Paper "Airline Competition Policy" (Cmnd. 9366) made clear, the Government are satisfied that the authority's existing powers are adequate in this respect.