asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what response he has had to the representations made to the European Economic Community Commission regarding the refusal of the German authorities to give permission for a bus to operate from Ostend to Frankfurt and link with an air service from Southend airport; and if he will make a statement.

We have asked the Commission to review, as a matter of urgency, under article 14 of Regulation EC 517/72, the Federal Republic of Germany's refusal to authorise a British bus company to run a scheduled service between London and Frankfurt. We await a response from the Commission.