§ Mr. Peter Bruinvelsasked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what consultations his Department held with representatives of the aviation industry before evidence was given to the Committee on Public Accounts on the financial arrangements for the provision of meteorological services;
(2) what consultations his Department held with representatives of the Civil Aviation Authority before evidence was given to the Committee on Public Accounts on the financial arrangements for the provision of meteorological services.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonNo special consultations were held with the Civil Aviation Authority or the aviation industry regarding either the Comptroller and Auditor General's report on financial arrangements for meteorological services or the evidence to be given to the Committee by Ministry of Defence witnesses. However, there are regular dicussions between the CAA and the Met Office which allow the former to represent the interests of the civil aviation industry, in addition to frequent informal contacts the Met Office has with individual air operators.
§ Mr. Peter Bruinvelsasked the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements are made by his Department to ensure that the provision of meteorological services takes account of the interests of the civil aviation industry.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonSince, for the purposes of international civil aviation, the Civil Aviation Authority is designated as the responsible meteorological authority for the United Kingdom, the Meteorological Office has to meet the essential requirements for meteorological services as specified by the CAA.