HC Deb 21 February 1991 vol 186 cc193-4W
Mr. Gerald Howarth

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the study that his predecessor commissioned on ways in which the system for allocating slots at congested airports might be improved.

Mr. Rifkind

The consultants, SD-Scicon UK Ltd, have completed stage one of the study. I have placed copies of their report in the Library of the House and shall be circulating it to interested parties.

The consultants have identified a number of options for allocating slots which could merit further study and have developed a technique for standardising the assessment of different methods.

Breakdown (by programme) of DOE expenditure in Y and H region
(£ million)
1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–911 forecast outturn 1991–92 estimate
Rate Support Grant/Revenue Support Grant 1,176.30 1,278.20 1,325.40 1,305.80 888.10 n/a
Housing Investment Programme Allocations 125.30 124.30 123–70 106.30 186.70 188.90
Housing Subsidies 0.29 0.27 Nil Nil 256.73 n/a
UDG/URG/City Grant Approvals 2.09 3.67 33.32 7.54 37.74 n/a
Urban Programme n/a 24.08 24.10 26.88 27.96 29.32
Urban Development Corporations n/a n/a 10.60 18.25 33.00 25.00
Gypsy grants 0.69 0.31 0.70 0.26 1.45 2.00
City Action Team n/a n/a n/a n/a 0.76 0.85

I have asked the consultants to proceed to stage two of their study and to present a further report to me in the summer.