HC Deb 14 January 1999 vol 323 cc246-7W
Ms Osborne

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will publish the report by Credit Suisse on the proposed public/private partnership for national air traffic services and assess its implications for the private finance initiative contract for the new Scottish centre. [65418]

Ms Glenda Jackson

The Government have retained Credit Suisse First Boston (CSFB) to provide investment banking advice in developing proposals for a public private partnership for National Air Traffic Services Ltd. (NATS). The advice produced by CSFB is commercially sensitive and is provided to the Government in confidence as part of the policy development process for the NATS PPP. As such, it would not be appropriate to publish it.

Ms Osborne

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the International Civil Aviation Organisation has agreed that the UK Government will continue to provide air traffic services for the Northern Atlantic operation in the event of a public/private partnership for national air traffic services. [65419]

Ms Glenda Jackson

As my right hon. Friend, the Minister of Transport explained in his answer of 18 November 1998,Official Report, column 676, we are consulting ICAO on our proposals for National Air Traffic Services Ltd.