§ Mr. BerminghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) when a neutron beam detector using an artificial neural system computer programme was installed at Heathrow airport; and if he will make a statement;
(2) whether the Californian-developed SNOOPE system is under evaluation by his Department; and if he will make a statement;
(3) if he has any plans to install the SNOOPE system at all British airports in the near future following evaluation; and if he will make a statement;
(4) if there are any British-made systems technologically similar to the SNOOPE system under consideration for evaluation at United Kingdom airports; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyThe SNOOPE system is the American thermal neutron activation analysis equipment for detecting explosives mentioned in my reply to the hon. Member on 17 January at column126. It is not under evaluation by the Department, though we receive information about it from the United States Federal 56W Aviation Administration. Neither the SNOOPE system nor any other system using the thermal neutron activation technique has been installed at Heathrow. We have told the FAA that we should look favourably at any proposals they might make to us for installing at a United Kingdom airport one of the six production machines they now have on order (for delivery during the second half of 1989).
There is a British project to develop a system using a similar technique. We understand that preliminary trials have been promising. When those concerned with the development are ready for a prototype to be tried out at a civil airport we shall give that very careful consideration.
The Department's position on whether either system should be deployed operationally at United Kingdom airports will depend on the results of the tests.