§ Mr. Frank CookTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to introduce legislation implementing the mandatory use of passenger protection smoke hoods for civil aircraft using airports in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. McLoughlinThe Civil Aviation Authority is responsible for the regulation of air safety. The authority published a specification for smoke hoods in May 1988. I understand that no smoke hood has yet been shown to meet the specification. The authority has told me that when a suitable hood does exist it will review the arguments for and against the provision of smoke hoods and decide whether a mandatory requirement would be appropriate.