§ Mr. WilsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the number of package air travel operators who do not hold an air transport operator's licence; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. NorrisIt is an offence under the Civil Aviation (Air Travel Organisers' Licensing) Regulations 1972 for those who are required to hold an ATOL not to do so. It is not readily possible to estimate how many package holiday operators are in breach of that requirement at any one time; but the Civil Aviation Authority will, where appropriate, prosecute operators apparently guilty of such an offence and it is open to anyone who believes that an offence has been committed to report the matter to the authority.
§ Mr. WilsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will consider placing a legal responsibility on airlines 771W to ensure that operators of packaged air travel, whose reservations are accepted by them, are in possession of a valid air transport operator's licence and comply with relevant EC directives.
§ Mr. NorrisSuch a responsibility has been placed on United Kingdom airlines by regulation 11(1)(a) of the Licensing of Air Carriers Regulations 1992.