§ Ms OsborneTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement on Government investment in the aviation industry in Scotland, including air traffic control. [24124]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonI have been asked to reply.
As my hon. Friend is aware, the major new air traffic control project in Scotland is the New Scottish Air Traffic Control Centre at Prestwick. This is being developed under the Private Finance Initiative, and will not involve Government investment, but will nonetheless provide a state of the art service, with the capacity to deal with increasing levels of air traffic well into the next century. The Government have also approved more than £30 million of projects in connection with the New Scottish Centre; these projects will connect the Centre with the rest of the UK's air traffic control network, and allow it to realise its full potential.
Financial support to the aviation industry is also made available by the Scottish Office in the 1997–98 financial year as follows:
- (i) Up to £7 million to Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd.; and
- (ii) £350,000 in support of lifeline air services currently operated by Loganair Ltd.
The Department of Trade and Industry's Civil Aircraft Research and Technical Demonstration programme and Launch Aid scheme also provide support to companies throughout the UK that meet the criteria.