Uk/us Air Liberalisation

EDM number 308 in 1996-97, proposed by Peter Fry on 04/12/1996.

That this House notes the resumption of formal talks between the United Kingdom and the United States aimed at negotiating a new bilateral air services agreement to replace Bermuda II; believes that this provides an opportunity to conclude a durable deal of benefit to consumers and all United Kingdom airlines; bearing in mind the United States insistence that the agreement should be similar to those it has negotiated with other European countries, urges Her Majesty's Government to insist that, if the United States wants new rights for its carriers to fly into Heathrow, to pick up passengers and fly on to points within Europe and beyond, it should be prepared in return to amend its protectionist barriers, including those preventing United Kingdom carriers serving more cities in the United States, limiting foreign ownership of United States airlines and having shares in United States airlines,and to further the opportunities for British airlines to carry freight, including United States Government business, to, from and in the United States; believes that, if skies over the United Kingdom and Europe are to be declared open, this should be matched by genuine open skies over the United States; and believes that a successful negotiation on these lines would be in the long-term interests of consumers on both sides of the Atlantic.

This motion has been signed by a total of 33 MPs.