§ Mr. Colvinasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the Monopolies and Mergers Commission report on the air traffic services of the Civil Aviation Authority will be published; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Alexander FletcherThe report is published today. Whilst praising the high standards of safety and service achieved by the Civil Aviation Authority's air traffic control, the commission makes a number of criticisms of the way the authority is run and suggests a total of 49 remedies to improve efficiency and reduce costs. Some of these are already being implemented.
The commission was asked whether the authority was pursuing a course of conduct contrary to the public interest. In view of the authority's high standards and the measures it is already taking to remedy the shortcomings identified by the commission, the commission conclude that it is not.
The authority will be publishing its prelimiary response to the report within three to four months and, in the light of this, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport will make a statement.