§ Mr. WoolasTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 9 December 1999,Official Report, columns 603–4W, if he will make a further statement relating to foreign aircraft operating to the United Kingdom over the millennium period. [104084]
§ Mr. HillMy Department has now received confirmation that aircraft operated by Gulf Air will be free from any Y2K safety related risk. Information has also been received from Southern Aviation (Zambia) advising that the airline will not be operating to the UK over the millennium period. Accordingly, my Department will not be taking any action to suspend permits to either airline to operate to the UK over the millennium period.
My Department will closely monitor the situation over the millennium period and, in the event of any unexpected Y2K safety related problems emerging, will take all necessary steps to ensure that safety is not compromised.