HL Deb 06 July 1994 vol 556 cc83-4WA
Lord Merrivale

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Bearing in mind

  1. (a) Article (1) of Council Regulation (EEC) 2408/92;
  2. (b) their pursuance of the updating "at a technical level" of the 1987 Gibraltar Airport Agreement; and
  3. (c) the statement made in July 1991 by the Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office that "we have always maintained that the agreement has no bearing on sovereignty and that the airport would remain under ultimate British authority";

Whether such authority would apply to route authorisations or the liberalisation envisaged under EC law would apply.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Transport (Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish)

The Government remain firmly of the view that the 1987 Gibraltar Airport Agreement preserves the UK's authority over Gibraltar airport. Once the 1987 Agreement is implemented by the Government of Gibraltar, the EC single market in air transport, including the provisions on the exercise of traffic rights by Community air carriers on routes within the Community, would apply to Gibraltar airport. This would not in any way affect Gibraltar airport's status as a UK domestic regional airport.