HL Deb 11 November 1980 vol 414 cc1356-7WA
Lord PONSONBY of SHULBREDE

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What are the powers to search and stop of British Airports Authority searching staff assigned to terminal corridor patrolling duties.

Lord TREFGARNE

British Airports Authority security personnel do not as such possess any power which the ordinary citizen does not have, although they have the normal powers of employees to enforce the general rights of the owners or occupiers of private property. The ordinary citizen has no powers of search, although he may, under common law and under Section 2 of the Criminal Law Act 1967, as amended by the Criminal Law Act 1977, arrest without warrant anyone who is, or whom he with reasonable cause suspects to be, in the act of committing an arrestable offence. In addition the Heathrow Airport—London Byelaws 1972 state that no person shall loiter, frequent, or remain on the aerodrome or any part thereof without reasonable cause", and that no person shall remain on the aerodrome, or any part thereof, after having been requested by a constable to leave". BAA security staff assigned to patrolling duties are able to make contact by radio with constables.