§ Mr. Shersbyasked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what assessment he has made of the security of the London air traffic control centre at West Drayton;
(2) how many trained (a) engineers and (b) other professional staff have left the London air traffic control centre in each of the past five years;
(3) if he will make a statement on the Civil Aviation Authority's plans for the development of the new air traffic control facility at West Drayton;
(4) what reports he has received from the Civil Aviation Authority concerning (a) loss of radar pictures, (b) radio interference and (c) telephone failure at the London air traffic control centre; if he has received any proposals from the Civil Aviation Authority for new equipment; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyResponsibility for the operation and management of the London air traffic control centre rests with the National Air Traffic Services, which is controlled jointly by the Civil Aviation Authority and the Ministry of Defence. Security and staffing are not matters for which my right hon Friend is responsible.
The authority has been implementing a modernisation and re-equipment programme at the centre for some years and this will continue. Proposals for further re-equipment, new systems and for a new centre for which Government approval is required, will be submitted to my right hon Friend by the authority as and when the plans for them are sufficiently advanced.