HC Deb 30 January 1997 vol 289 c360W
Mrs. Dunwoody

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish airline safety league tables on a six-monthly basis. [13183]

Mr. Bowis

No. In order to hold an air operator's certificate, all United Kingdom airlines must attain the high standards of safety required by the Civil Aviation Authority. I do not therefore believe that there are any significant differences in the safety standards of UK airlines which would warrant the compilation of a safety league table.

Foreign airlines flying into the UK are regulated by the aviation authority of their home state in accordance with minimum safety standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation. It would not therefore be possible or appropriate for the UK Government to produce a safety league table.