Mr. John Mark Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement regarding the likely future administrative arrangements for those airports currently operated by the metropolitan county councils.
§ Mr. Michael SpicerThe Local Government Bill provides that metropolitan county council interests in airports will pass to the constituent districts or, failing agreement between the districts, to the appropriate passenger transport authority. The administrative arrangements for these airports will then be a matter for their owners, including those districts or counties already having an interest in these airports. The Government are also considering whether legislation should be brought forward to require that the larger local authority airports should be run through plcs.