HC Deb 31 January 1989 vol 146 cc145-6W
Mr. Dicks

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has yet received from Sir Norman Payne the report on improvements in security at BAA airports that he requested on 13 January.

Mr. Channon

Yes, I received Sir Norman Payne's report on Thursday 19 January.

The report is thorough and detailed. It identifies well over 100 points on which security improvements have recently been made at BAA's seven airports, are now being made, or are under urgent review.

These improvements cover the following areas in particular:

  1. (a) conditions for the issue of airside passes;
  2. (b) the searching of staff and of any articles they carry when entering airside;
  3. (c) the searching of vehicles when entering airside.
  4. (d) reducing existing landside/airside control posts to release staff for improving security elsewhere; and
  5. (e) increasing patrolling of restricted areas.

In identifying these improvements BAA have been guided by the following principles:

  1. (i) All staff in possession of unescorted airside passes must have been satisfactorily checked to ensure their integrity. Subsequent to the issue of their passes appropriate positive monitoring must be implemented on an ongoing basis.
  2. (ii) Procedures must be in operation which satisfactorily monitor the articles carried airside by staff.
  3. (iii) Procedures must be in operation which either ensure that goods on delivery are escorted to the offload point or minimise the risk of prohibited goods entering airside.
  4. (iv) Better security is achieved by the minimum number of airside/landside control points.
  5. (v) Monitoring of restricted areas by patrolling must be at a level consistent with the risks.

I do not propose to have BAA's report as a whole published. It would not be in the interests of good security to release detailed material on airport security measures in force or under consideration.

I have replied to Sir Norman Payne accepting his report. My officials will keep in touch with BAA about its implementation. I have asked Sir Norman for an account of progress on outstanding matters in three months.