§ 50. Mr. P. Williamsasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will make a statement on the inter-Departmental arrangements for co-ordinating air traffic control policy.
§ Mr. WatkinsonMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Air and I have reviewed the present arrangements for the formulation of air traffic control policy in consultation with the other Ministers concerned in the light of technical advances in aviation, the need for closer co-ordination of civil and military requirements, and the increasing importance of the international aspects of air traffic control.
We have decided to set up an Air Traffic Control Board under an independent chairman with wide terms of reference including responsibility for formulating air traffic control policy for the United Kingdom and for co-ordinating the work of all authorities in the United Kingdom concerned with air traffic control matters. The Board will consist of senior representatives of the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation, the Air Ministry, the Admiralty and the Ministry of Supply, and will be assisted by an Air Traffic Control Executive. The Board will be responsible jointly to the Secretary of State for Air and myself.