§ Lord Merrivaleasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether discussions are proposed for an airline designated by Morocco to operate a route with points in Morocco, Gibraltar and Paris in accordance with the provision of Schedule (II) (1) of the Exchange of Notes (Cm 6798) which entered into force on 20 December 1976.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Transport (Viscount Goschen)Royal Air Maroc, the only airline currently designated by Morocco, can commence operations on a route Morocco—Gibraltar—Paris at any time without the need for prior discussions with the United Kingdom Government. The 1976 Exchange of Notes (CM 6798) does not, however, confer the right to pick up passengers in Gibraltar on this route. If a Moroccan airline wished to pick up passengers in Gibraltar for Paris, and vice versa, it would be for the Moroccan authorities to seek to amend the current UK—Morocco air services arrangements accordingly. At air services talks held in Rabat on 12 and 13 January the Moroccan authorities made no such request.