§ Mr. Proctorasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will arrange for the cost of the hijack emergency operation at Stansted airport on 27 and 28 February to be borne by the Exchequer.
§ Mr. WhitelawThe costs of police operations are shared between the Exchequer and the local authorities, and the costs of the operation at Stansted will qualify for 50 per cent. police grant in the usual way.
§ Mr. Proctorasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the anticipated cost of the hijack emergency operation at Stansted airport on 27 and 28 February; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WhitelawIt is too early to say what the cost of the police operation will be. I shall write to my hon. Friend when the information is available.
§ Mr. Proctorasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many operations of a character similar to that which took place at Stansted have been undertaken in the last 10 years; at what cost; at which airports; and which authorities have contributed to the cost.
§ Mr. WhitelawThere has been no operation in the last 10 years directly comparable to that at Stansted last weekend. In January 1975 a British Airways aircraft was hijacked and landed at Heathrow and Stansted. Information about costs on that occasion is not available.
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§ Mr. Proctorasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if there is a strategic plan to handle cases of air piracy in the United Kingdom; whether Stansted is the designated airport to receive hijacked aircraft; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WhitelawThere are contingency plans for dealing with hijacking incidents. It would not be in the public interest to reveal details.