§ Tom BrakeTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment has been made by his Department or is planned of the regime of landing charges at airports in the United Kingdom. [81402]
§ Mr. JamiesonThe Future of Aviation consultation document published in December 2000 stated in paragraph 221 the Department
"will work with the CAA to develop modifications to the current regulatory regime to improve incentives for timely investment and improved quality of service".One proposal identified in paragraph 223 was to permit the CAA rather than the Competition Commission to undertake an investigation before they set the price cap, with the Competition Commission becoming an appeal body. This would bring the regime for economic regulation of airports into line with the system that exists for other regulated utilities. A further proposal identified was to give the CAA concurrent powers with the Director General of Fair Trading to enforce general competition law in the airports sector.