§ Mr. Andrew SmithTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list those airlines which his Department has consulted on the British Airways-American Airlines proposed alliance since his receipt of the report by the Office of Fair Trading. [3871]
Mr. John M. TaylorThe Department of Trade and Industry has received correspondence from Virgin Atlantic, Trans World Airlines, United Airlines, British Airways and Continental Airlines since receipt of the Director General of Fair Trading's advice.
My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade has yet to take his decision on this case. It is not the Department's practice to consult interested parties during the period between receipt of the director general's report and the president's decision.
Third parties had the opportunity to make their views known to the director general and these were included in his advice to my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade.