§ Miss McIntoshTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the(a) roles, (b) function and (c) staffing of the air travel health unit in his Department; and what the annual budget of the unit will be. [108009]
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§ Mr. JamiesonThe Aviation Health Unit, announced on 6 March, will become a centre of expertise and the primary source of advice to the Department for Transport and the Department for Health on health issues affecting air passengers and crew.
Based at the offices of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) at Gatwick, it will offer advice to air passengers and crew; handle public enquiries; investigate potential new aviation health concerns; provide technical input into international organisations; and identify the need for, and manage, future research.
The Head of the Unit will decide on staffing requirements. Funding of up to £200,000 a year will be provided by the Department for Transport until the CAA is given statutory duties for aviation health, allowing it to fund the unit's work out of charges imposed on the aviation industry.