§ Mr. PicklesTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) if it is his policy to seek to conclude a treaty between the UK and the USA on open skies before 31 January; [30538]
(2) if a treaty between the USA and the UK on open skies covers (a) cabotage, (b)wet leasing, (c)foreign ownership and (d) fifth freedoms; and if these issues need to be resolved before the UK would agree to a treaty; [30536]
(3) if it is his policy to seek full wet leasing rights for UK airlines in the USA before agreeing a new open skies treaty with that country; [30541]
(4) if it is Government policy that there should be a full reciprocation of rights and privileges between the carriers of both nations before the UK concludes a treaty on open skies with the USA; [30535]
(5) what assessment he has received on the balance of benefits to the UK economy of conceding fifth freedom access to the European market for USA airlines in return for the American authorities approval of the British Airways/American Airway alliance; [30540]
(6) what assessment he has made of the impact on UK carriers of granting rights at (a)Stansted and (b)other UK airports to USA carriers without reciprocal rights in the USA to UK carriers; [30537]
(7) if it is his policy to seek fifth freedom rights for UK airliners in the USA before agreeing a new open skies treaty with that country; [30542]
(8) when the next negotiations on open skies are scheduled to take place between the USA and the UK; [30539]
(9) if it his policy that an open skies treaty between the USA and the UK should be subject to review by the (a) European Court and (b) European Commission. [30543]
724W
§ Mr. SpellarNegotiations on UK/US air services, which were scheduled to resume in Washington on 28 January, were postponed when it became clear that the prospect of a large part of the UK's airline industry gaining effective access to the large US domestic market had been removed. However, we remain committed to achieving the full and genuine liberalisation of the UK/US aviation market. In pursuing this policy we shall continue to be guided by a consideration of the widest spectrum of UK consumer and economic interests.
In negotiating air services agreements we seek to make balanced exchanges of rights. A liberalisation deal would, by definition, include more liberal traffic rights for the carriers of each side so, if granted, fifth freedom rights in a new UK/US Agreement would be available to the carriers of both sides.
It remains Government policy to seek to persuade the US Government to open up their large domestic market to competition from UK carriers, both passenger and cargo.
The UK has no policy that air services agreements which it concludes with the US, or indeed with any other country, should be subject to review by the European Court or the European Commission.