HC Deb 15 July 1994 vol 246 cc785-6W
Mr. Dunn

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on developments on the liberalisation of United Kingdom-United States air services.

Mr. MacGregor

I am writing today to the United States Transportation Secretary saying that I am prepared to give exceptional approval for airlines to bring in new services to replace certain transatlantic routes which have recently been or are about to be suspended. I am therefore offering United States airlines rights to serve Manchester-Los Angeles and Stansted-New York-Chicago.

I am making this offer in order to help to maintain services for consumers while we continue to seek to make progress in securing a wider liberalisation of United Kingdom-United States air services. I hope that the United States will soon be in a posiiton to return to the liberalisation negotiations. This offer is a further demonstration of my determination to secure liberal changes to the current air services agreement in the interests of consumers on both sides of the Atlantic.