§ Mr. Charles ClarkeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what changes are planned by the Government to free local authority airports from borrowing controls. [46056]
§ Dr. StrangAll borrowing via local authority airports currently counts against the public expenditure control total. This is not conducive to the proper commercial management of these airports.
638WWe now intend that local authority airports whose finances are sufficiently sound should be given the flexibility to borrow to finance airport related capital investment in the UK, where the lending would be genuinely commercial. This will allow airports such as Manchester, Newcastle, Leeds Bradford and Norwich to compete for business on a level playing field with private sector airports, while safeguarding the interest of the taxpayer.