§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they are content that prior check-in facilities intended as part of the Heathrow Express system at Paddington will not increase the risks of terrorist attacks and hoaxes at the station; what studies have been done to ascertain that the risk is not increased, by whom, and at whose expense; and whether the police are content with these arrangements.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (Baroness Hayman)The threat to transport operations change and are kept under constant review by government agencies. Security systems are being designed into the new facilities at Paddington to ensure, as far as possible, that any risks which are likely to arise can be adequately managed. My department, the operator, the British Transport Police and Railtrack are all involved in the development of the security system and it will be our objective to establish a system where all parties are content. As usual the cost of assessing threat and risk falls to government; the cost of installing and running the system will fall to the operator.