- Madam President, the air traffic controllers in the UK at the present time are battling very hard in a unified way against the UK proposal to privatize air traffic control. They really believe that there is a threat here to all Europe because of the enormous air space they control, not just over the UK and Ireland, but the whole eastern North Atlantic international air space.

There are also, as probably everybody knows, a huge number of military flights, making the danger even greater.

This is the firm belief not just of the air traffic controllers of the UK but the European Regional Airlines Association, the International Air Transport Association, the International Air Passenger Association and the International Air Carrier Association who represent the majority of the world's airlines and passengers. They have called for a single system outwith private hands.

It was interesting to me that the Commissioner did not even mention the battle that is going on where there has been very little time for consultation.

This is a very grave matter indeed. It seems to be going the opposite way from what almost every speaker has been calling for in this debate, which is an all-Europe harmonized system - not just of equipment - but the actual administering of the skills of air traffic controllers.

It seems to me that this is a further example of UK political dogma before common sense and the wishes of those who know. I received a very disappointing letter from the Commissioner on this, washing his hands more or less and citing the Chicago Convention. This really will not do!