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Air Services Agreement
11. Mr. Wilkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress he has made with the negotiation of a new air services agreement with the United States of America.[17763]
Sir George Young: Good progress has been made, most recently at a round of discussions in Washington last month.
Mr. Wilkinson: I am grateful for that reply. Will my right hon. Friend ensure in the concluding phase of the negotiations that they remain bilateral, and that there is no question of European Union interference, especially in the special relationship that the United Kingdom and the United States have in regard to air transport, as in so much else? In so doing, will my right hon. Friend ensure that the need for British carriers, such as British Airways, to have adequate gateways into the United States will be maintained at the conclusion of the agreement?
Sir George Young: I can confirm that responsibility for air service negotiations between this country and the United States is a matter for Her Majesty's Government. That responsibility is discharged by my Department, and we are opposed to any extension of the competence of the European Union into this dialogue. The hon. Gentleman will know that British Airways is a successful and competitive international airline. It would in the interest not just of British Airways but of other airlines in the UK if we could move towards a more liberal regime between the UK and the United States. I am sure that our airlines would compete effectively in that liberalised environment.
Mr. Pike: The Secretary of State will know that there has been a particular difficulty in opening up United States airlines' access to regional airports such as Manchester. Do the Government fully support the case for the regional airports? What progress has been made in that direction?
Sir George Young: As the hon. Gentleman may know, I recently had the pleasure of attending a meeting of the all-party group supporting Manchester airport, where hon. Members registered their pleasure at the recent decision on a second runway. We support regional airports.
We will do all that we can in international dialogues to make it easier for people to access Manchester airport, so that that highly successful airport can continue to expand.HOUSE OF COMMONS
Disabled Staff
31. Mr. Corbyn: To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, representing the House of Commons Commission, what steps the Commission is taking to increase the recruitment of disabled staff.[17783]
34. Mr. Flynn: To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, representing the House of Commons Commission, what proposals he has to improve the conditions of disabled staff.[17786]
Mr. A. J. Beith (on behalf of the House of Commons Commission): All disabled people applying for House staff posts are offered an interview, provided that they have the minimum qualifications and that their disability would not prevent them from satisfactorily carrying out the duties of the advertised post. Provisions and adjustments are made to ensure that disabled people can work in the precincts, and candidates for jobs are asked to say what special arrangements they would need if taking up a job. The House of Commons complies with the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and follows the guidance in the code of practice.
Mr. Corbyn: Is the right hon. Member aware that, on 13 January, he told me that only 13 people with disabilities were employed by the House of Commons Commission, and that it would pursue vigorously a policy of increasing the number of people with disabilities who work for the Commission? In that case, will he tell the House where these jobs are advertised, what contact he has with disability organisations and, above all, what serious steps have been taken to ensure that this building is fully accessible to people, whatever their disability? Many of us have been raising this issue in the House for more than 10 years, and we have had the same evasive and delaying answers from him and his predecessors, saying that it is very difficult and very complicated. Every other public building usually makes efforts to ensure that it is fully accessible--why not this one?
Mr. Beith: Strenuous efforts are made to make this building more accessible. The hon. Gentleman must be aware of some of the particular difficulties. As far as I am aware, the Commission has never refused to fund any improvements suggested by its expert advice that would assist disabled people, but of course ensuring that they take up posts in the House involves ensuring that advertisements invite them to apply, as they do, that they are given positive consideration, which I have just described, and that, wherever they need special help to be able to do the job, that too can be given. Those are valuable developments, although we are far from satisfied with the results achieved so far.
Mr. Flynn: Why has the right hon. Gentleman not responded to the questions that I tabled two, three and five years ago seeking improvements to this Chamber?
If there were a box in the corner of the Chamber and it were used by civil servants--which of course it is not--it would be totally inaccessible to some civil servants, and there would be a bar on their career prospects if they could not use such a box.
There is another problem in the Chamber which might immediately arise, because some candidates in the election are wheelchair-bound. Why have arrangements not been made for those people to be able to do their work as Members of Parliament? That should have been done many years ago. The problem will be with us in a few weeks.
Mr. Beith:
The hon. Gentleman will know that considerable steps are taken to assist one of his hon. Friends who has a disability to ensure that he can do the job of a full Member of Parliament properly, although that does not arise directly from this question. I will consider the hon. Gentleman's point about facilities for civil servants attending the House.
Mr. Matthew Banks:
Does the right hon. Gentleman agree that this is not simply a matter of statistics, but that the House has to try to set an example and lead the rest of the country? Although we recognise that this is an ancient building, over a period we need to make further investment to make it more accessible, not just to visitors but to people who work here.
Mr. Beith:
The Commission agrees with that view and seeks to act accordingly.
32. Mr. Tony Banks:
To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, representing the House of Commons Commission, if he will make a statement about the financial arrangements for staff on short-term contracts during the general election period.[17784]
Mr. Beith:
In general, House of Commons staff on short-term contracts are not affected by the general election period. Their duties and remuneration remain unchanged.
Mr. Banks:
I put it to the right hon. Gentleman that a large number of Conservative Members will jump ship before the general election and that perhaps a larger number will be going down with it at the election. In both cases, a generous financial lifeboat is available for them. What about the staff here? For example, what about those who rely on overtime payments because they serve hon. Members in the canteen? What happens to them? Would it be possible to have a general election financial bonus for those staff, to go along with the bonus of having a Labour Government after the election?
Mr. Beith:
None of the House of Commons staff will lose his job or not have his contract renewed as a result of any outcome of the general election. I think that the hon. Gentleman refers primarily to the staff of hon. Members who are not the responsibility of the Commission. He must address questions about them to the Leader of the House. Most Refreshment Department staff will continue to be paid in full during the Dissolution, although they are not
Staff (Overtime)
33. Mr. John Marshall: To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, representing the House of Commons Commission, what is the Commission's current estimate of the staff overtime bill for 1996-97.[17785]
Mr. Beith: The House expects to spend £850,000 on staff overtime in 1996-97.
Mr. Marshall: Does the right hon. Gentleman agree that our staff who work this overtime serve the House with skill, courtesy and charm? Therefore, does he further agree that it is quite unnecessary for 70 members of our staff to go to a charm school during the general election campaign? Would not the money spent on that charm school be better spent on some hon. Members?
Mr. Beith: No overtime payments are involved in the training programmes that go on in the House and affect a far larger number of people. If there are valuable courses of this kind, I should be tempted to go on them myself, but I expect to be busy during the general election period.
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