HC Deb 30 January 1996 vol 270 c616W
Mr. Allen

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action his Department has taken against Air Ops in respect of its operating passenger-carrying flights from the United Kingdom in 1993 without permits. [12176]

Mr. Norris

Permits for these flights in the summer of 1993 were issued to Sultan Air on the understanding that Air Operations of Europe—Air Ops—was operating under a wet lease agreement with that airline. It was not until October 1994 that it emerged that the lease agreement might have been terminated before the flights took place. As announced on 10 January, the Department has now reviewed its permit procedures to clarify permit and safety responsibilities as regards applications involving the use of wet-leased aircraft.

Mr. Allen

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport in what circumstances airports can be(a) empowered and (b) required to impound aircraft arriving without permits. [12175]

Mr. Norris

There are powers under article 107 of the Air Navigation (No. 2) Order 1995 enabling the detention of aircraft which are likely to be flown in breach of article 102 of the order. Powers also exist under section 48 of the Aviation and Maritime Security Act 1990 that enable the detention of aircraft which arrive in the UK when they are prohibited from doing so in the circumstances described in the above section of the Act.