asked the Minister of Aviation if he will give a general direction, in the public: interest, to the Air Corporations to provide nonsmoking accommodation on buses running between airports and air terminals.

No, Sir. This is a matter within the Corporations' own sphere of judgment and responsibility.

As my hon. Friend probably has a good deal of influence with the Corporations, will he not ask them to realise that before or after an air journey is about the last possible time that a non-smoker wants to be alongside a pipe, cigar or cigarette?

My influence is probably no more than my hon. Friend's influence. B.E.A. certainly pay attention to the trends of public opinion in these matters. I can tell my hon. Friend that B.E.A. will shortly be having double-decker buses going out to the airport, and perhaps they might consider having the top deck for smokers and the bottom deck for non-smokers.

Is the hon. Member aware that there is support in this matter from at least one hon. Member on this side of the House?

More than one.

I said at least one. Is he aware that the public demand should be impressed upon the mind of the managements concerned?

The Question raised in the House today and the observations of my hon. Friend the Member for Chigwell (Mr. Biggs-Davison) and the hon. Member for Lichfield and Tam-worth (Mr. Snow) will make an impression upon the minds of B.E.A.

May I take it from what the Minister said that he is sympathetic to the idea that some attention ought to be paid to the non-smoker as well as the undeserved attention which is paid to the smoker? As he knows, I have tried on many occasions to get non-smoking arrangements on aircraft. Those attempts have been turned down. Does he hope to be more successful in his efforts to impress on B.E.A. the need to provide non-smoking accommodation at least on the buses?

The second part of the supplementary question raises another question. I am always sympathetic with opinions of this nature expressed in the House.