Aviation (Hansard, 25 July 2000)

§ Mr. Jenkin
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the remit and role are of the sectoral teams in the new Joint Aviation Requirement-Flight Crew Licensing Committee procedures proposed at the JAR-FCL Committee meeting of 8 to 11 May; and how the new procedures will improve the accountability of the JAR-FCL Committee and its Examination Sub-Committee to the Governments of the member states of the Joint Aviation Authorities. [132003]

§ Mr. Mullin
Under a reorganisation at the Joint Aviation Authorities its specialist committees will be replaced by sectorial teams. The exact remit and role of these teams are still being developed within the JAA. The actions of the JAA are generally accountable to the Governments of the JAA member states through the JAA board.

§ Mr. Jenkin
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions for what reasons the provisions of Paragraph 10.2.1.1. of Section 5,
580W
matter for those organisations and they have to decide whether they are receiving value for money, although I understand most subscriptions are now underpinned by service level agreements.

§ Mr. Ben Chapman
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on spending under the principal expenditure headings using public funds by the Mersey Partnership in each of the last five years. [131730]

§ Ms Beverley Hughes
Expenditure by the Mersey Partnership over the past five years has been as follows:
Chapter 10 of the document, JAA administrative and guidance material, referring to harmonised conduct of the JAA ATPL theoretical knowledge examinations throughout Joint Aviation Authorities member states, have not been enforced. [132002]

§ Mr. Mullin
Paragraph 10.2.1.1 of Section 5, Chapter 10 of the JAA administrative and guidance material states an intention to harmonise the procedures for the conduct of JAA theoretical knowledge examinations. I can assure you that the UK applies the harmonised procedures.
The national aviation authorities in all JAA member states will be subject to a standardisation visit to ensure that the state complies with the agreed procedures. If these visits reveal that the state does not comply with the harmonised procedures, its licence holders will not benefit from the mutual recognition provisions of JAR-FCL.

§ Mr. Jenkin
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if it is the Government's policy to ensure, through the Civil Aviation Authority, that the Joint Aviation Authorities introduce regulations that permit the harmonisation of JAA ATPL theoretical knowledge examination procedures in all member states of the JAA. [132000]

§ Mr. Mullin
Requirements for the harmonisation of theoretical knowledge examination procedures are already contained in the Joint Aviation Requirements—Flight Crew Licensing. The national aviation authorities in all JAA member states will be subject to a standardisation visit to ensure that the state complies with the agreed procedures. If these visits reveal that the state does not comply with the harmonised procedures, its licence holders will not benefit from the mutual recognition provisions of JAR-FCL.

§ Mr. Jenkin
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions where responsibility lies in the Joint Aviation Authorities or Civil Aviation Authority for ensuring that the JAA ATPL 581W examination guidelines published at Attachment 2 to Paragraph 10 of Chapter 10, Section 5 of JAA Administrative and Guidance Material are followed. [132001]

§ Mr. Mullin
Attachment 2 to Paragraph 10 of Chapter 10, Section 5 of JAA Administrative and Guidance Material refers to the construction of individual theoretical knowledge examination questions. The responsibility for ensuring that these questions comply with the guidelines rests with the Joint Aviation Authorities' Flight Crew Licensing Committee through its Sub-Committee for Examinations and with the individual member states' subject expert teams.

§ Mr. Jenkin
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions for what reasons the Joint Aviation Requirement-Flight Crew Licensing Committee is not minded to accept the proposals of the European Association of Airline Pilot Schools to review the central question bank and the learning objectives of the JAA ATPL theoretical knowledge examinations. [132004]

§ Mr. Mullin
I understand that this proposal was rejected because review by the European Association of Airline Pilot Schools would infringe the confidentiality of the central question bank. The Association has two representatives on the committee and should be fully aware of the reasons for the rejection of these proposals.