Oral Answers to Questions — Board of Trade – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 8 April 1970.
Mr Gordon Campbell
, Moray and Nairnshire
12:00,
8 April 1970
asked the President of the Board of Trade what consideration he has given to providing for the safety of passengers in aircraft which are airborne at the time when lightning strikes are announced, putting airports immediately out of action for landing purposes.
Mr Goronwy Roberts
, Caernarvon
Aircraft are required to carry sufficient fuel to provide a safe margin for contingencies arising from whatever cause. This margin is intended to enable them to divert to other aerodromes if their destination airport at home or abroad were to be closed at short notice.
Mr Gordon Campbell
, Moray and Nairnshire
Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that I was in an aircraft in the air last Friday on a short journey in Scotland when the pilot was informed at 15 minutes' notice of the lightning strikes at Scottish airports, and that it seemed only a matter of chance that one airport was open? Is the Minister entirely certain that when there is a combination of bad weather safety can always he assured?
Mr Goronwy Roberts
, Caernarvon
I should certainly like details of the case that the hon. Gentleman has mentioned. Perhaps he will let me have them. I assume he was referring to the London/Inverness diversion, which I understand was conducted with complete safety and efficacy.
Mr Leslie Huckfield
, Nuneaton
Has my right hon. Friend any statistics for the kind of incident to which the hon. Gentleman referred?
Mr Goronwy Roberts
, Caernarvon
Not without notice. Perhaps my hon. Friend will put down a Question.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
