§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to put into effect the 21 recommendations made in 1986 by the Select Committee on Transport, particularly the proposals in relation to air security which requested a special security fund to finance airport safety, and the introduction of banding machines for baggage in the wake of the Lockerbie disaster; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyThe response published in November 1986 made it clear that the Government accepted most of the Select Committee's recommendations, either wholly or in part.
The response explained what further action would be taken on each recommendation. Work has been carried forward as promised.
The particular recommendations mentioned by the hon. Member were not amongst those accepted. Banding machines can make a limited contribution to security, because of the high proportion of soft bags, and bags with outside compartments.
An aviation security fund has already been tried. It was abandoned because it was bureaucratic, complicated and costly to administer. It provided little incentive to efficiency.
The current arrangements for financing aviation security do not suffer from such problems. They do not inhibit the maintenance of proper security measures.