- Yesterday I made a speech on this subject but the Commissioner, Sir Leon Brittan, did not deign to refer to the point I raised, the great concern of all UK air traffic controllers to a man about public safety, not just for the people using the airspace above Britain, but also over Ireland and over the Atlantic, which is also used by the military on a massive scale. They are very concerned about safety and are supported by every organization of transport users in Europe, but there was no reference by the Commissioner to the valid points I raised. I have to say that when the profit motive replaces public service, do you imagine for a minute that the present concern for air services to the Northern and Western Isles of Scotland and other peripheral areas will be maintained?

How ironic that the EU should have put out a helping hand to structures in peripheral areas when here we could have economic disaster spelt out and apparently not objected to by the Commission.