To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he discussed transatlantic services between Birmingham and the east coast of the United States at the bilateral talks between the United States Administration and Her Majesty's Government in connection with transatlantic air services.Mr. McLoughlin: The interests of Birmingham and other regional airports are very much borne in mind as we pursue our negotiations with the Americans. The recent round of discussions covered the possibilities for opening up additional opportunities for both sides, including new routes, without going into the detail of specific services at this stage.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the bilateral talks between the United States Administration and Her Majesty's Government in connection with transatlantic air services.
Discussions with the United States Government are continuing about the possibilities for the liberalisation of transatlantic air services. Our aim is to remove obstacles to fair competition between airlines, and to remove unnecessary regulation.