§ Mr. MorleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 24 January,Official Report, column 98, what considerations underlie the decision to allow the resumption of flights containing calves from Coventry airport before the completion of the inquiry into breaches of the Air Navigation Order of 59W flights containing calves from that airport in November and December 1994; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. NorrisIn view of concern about the safety of flights carrying calves from Coventry airport as a result of the Air Algerie crash on 21 December 1994, the Department' has taken additional steps to monitor the safety of any aircraft wishing to perform similar flights. Before considering any application, the Department has requested the Civil Aviation Authority to carry out an inspection of the aircraft in order that a check can be made to ensure that the aircraft can operate safely into Coventry airport and that the aircraft will be operated in accordance with international safety standards.
Two applications for the carriage of calves have been received since the crash of the Air Algerie aircraft. Neither of these applications involved airlines which are the subject of the current inquiry being conducted by the Department into possible breaches in November and December of article 88 of the Air Navigation Order 1989. Before the Department considered these applications, the CAA was asked to inspect the aircraft to be used for the flights. In the first case, involving a Nigerian Boeing 707 aircraft owned by ADC Airlines, my Department decided
Financial year 1994–95 Regional Government Offices (Transport programmes) Staff numbers1 Running costs budget (£k) Programme budget (£k) Government Office for the Eastern Region 10 302.5 405.0 Government Office for the East Midlands 9 243.9 197.0 Government Office for Merseyside 3 77.1 55.0 Government Office for London 58 2,460.0 550.0 Government Office for the North East 21 518.8 56.0 Government Office for the North West 7 243.1 135.0 Government Office for the South East 13 472.5 82.5 Government Office for the South West 9 288.1 13.0 Government Office for the West Midlands 9 299.4 105.0 Government Office for Yorkshire & Humberside 8 274.1 45.0 Programme Budget held centrally in reserve — — 106.5 Totals 147 5,179.5 1,750.0 1 According to personnel records.