§ Lord Boyd-Carpenterasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have received the Civil Aviation Authority's advice on strategies for making good use of the air traffic control capacity in the period up to 1995.
§ Lord Brabazon of TaraMy right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Transport received the advice at the end of November. The authority is publishing it today and copies are being placed in the Library.
We welcome the advice, which contains a clear statement of the steps the national air traffic services are taking to improve the provision of air traffic control services pending the significant increase in capacity which will result from the reorganisation of the London Terminal Area airspace due to be completed in 1995. The advice also explains the important initiatives which the UK has been taking internationally to increase co-operation and coordination between air traffic control authorities in Europe.
The Government's public expenditure plans announced in the autumn already make provision for a two-thirds increase in the authority's investment next year. The Government will continue to approve individual projects within the authority's investment progamme where they are financially justified, as in the past. The Government also fully support the authority in introducing flexible working practices and in increasing recruitment of air traffic controllers to handle growing traffic levels.
We look to the chairman of the authority to pursue the strategy vigorously. My right honourable friend has asked him to consider any new ideas that may be put to him and to take further steps to relieve air traffic control congestion where these prove practicable.
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