§ Mr. DicksTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the report of the Department of Transport's air accidents investigation branch on the air miss between a British Airways Tristar and a Balkan Bulgarian Airlines Tupolev 154 near Lydd on 6 February 1988.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyThe inspector's report was pubished earlier today. Copies have been placed in the Library.
The report makes 13 safety recommendations. Six concern operational matters, five recommend equipment changes, and two deal with the investigation of air misses and losses of separation, and the collection and use of statistics. I have discussed the report with the chairman of the CAA. I understand from him that eight of the recommendations have either been implemented or are in the process of implementation as far as practicable, two have been investigated but no changes have been made to the present arrangements, and three are receiving further study.
As with every report by the air accidents investigation branch, the purpose is to determine the circumstances and causes of the incident with a view to the preservation of life and avoidance of similar occurrences in the future. I welcome the prompt action which the Civil Aviation Authority and the National Air Traffic Services have taken on most of the report's recommendations. I look to the chairman of the authority to follow up the remaining recommendations vigorously and to implement further changes as necessary.