§ Mr. FoulkesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date the Scottish control zone and the Prestwick control zone were abolished; what was the reason for their abolition; and what consultations took place in advance of their decision.
§ Mr. Norris[holding answer 16 December 1994]: I have been asked to reply.
The Civil Aviation Authority has the responsibility for airspace planning. They advise that the Prestwick control zone—formally the Prestwick special rules zone—was abolished on 3 March 1993. On 3 March 1994 the Scottish Zone and parts of the Scottish terminal control area were abolished.
Reviews are routinely carried out on the use made of controlled airspace to identify those portions that are under-utilised or no longer serve the purpose for which they were established. This is in accordance with ministerial direction to the CAA and the national air traffic services. Such a review showed that the number of passenger public transport aircraft using Prestwick airport had declined to the level where the provision of controlled airspace was no longer necessary. After the review, NATS consulted the Prestwick airport operator, British Aerospace Flying College—the then principle user of Prestwick airport—the Ministry of Defence, and the National Air Traffic Management Advisory Committee, as well as its own Scottish air traffic control centre about the changes from late 1991 until early 1994.
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