§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is the Government's policy on reciprocity in bilateral air service negotiations with the United States of America. [123931]
§ Mr. MullinBilateral air services agreements are based on the principle of fair and equal opportunity, and this requires that rights are granted reciprocally. The UK-US negotiations are conducted in accordance with this same principle.
§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what action he is taking to remove distortions of competition as part of a bilateral airline agreement with the United States of America. [123932]
§ Mr. MullinWe have consistently pressed the US Government for effective access to the US domestic market for UK airlines so that there can be fair competition on UK-US routes.
§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what methodology the Government are adopting in seeking to secure wet leasing rights for British airlines in the US market(a) as part of bilateral aviation negotiations and (b) through international agreements. [123933]
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§ Mr. MullinWe take every opportunity to press the United States Government to relax the restrictions that they impose on the wet-leasing of UK-registered aircraft by US carriers.
§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how the Government intend to achieve reciprocal access to the US aviation market for British charter passenger airlines and cargo carriers for whom alliances with scheduled US airlines are not an option. [123934]
§ Mr. MullinUK charter passenger airlines already have reciprocal rights under the Bermuda II arrangements, and dominate the UK-US charter market. We continue to press the US Government to open up their domestic market to UK cargo carriers.