§ Mr. Harry GreenwayTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the capacity of the emergency services to deal with any crash at or near Heathrow airport; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. NorrisThe Department of Transport has taken advice from the Civil Aviation Authority and BAA plc on this important matter.
I am advised that the emergency services at Heathrow are able to mount a massive response in the event of any disaster occurring in the vicinity of the airport. The current procedures ensure, initially, that air traffic control (ATC) provides the pilot of an aircraft in distress with whatever assistance he requires to effect a safe landing. This includes immediately alerting the ground emergency services.
BAA manage the emergency services at Heathrow and under the terms of the aerodrome licence issued to it by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), which derives from guidelines laid down by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), it is obliged to provide a specific number of staff, fire-fighting and emergency equipment and medical expertise to deal with any aircraft disasters which occur either at Heathrow airport itself or within a two-mile radius.
The emergency services provided by BAA exceed by almost double the quotas specified in the licence. Nevertheless, close ties are maintained with the police, fire brigades, ambulance services and local hospitals to ensure that back-up services are available to provide additional and immediate assistance should the need arise.
Continuous reviews of the system ensure that the emergency procedures are kept up to date. Annual 748W exercises conducted with volunteers and involving all the emergency services and local hospitals ensure that all concerned are familiar with the procedures. The last such exercise took place on 8 October 1992.