§ Mr. WilshireTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) which airlines were subject during 2003 to safety assessment of foreign aircraft ramp checks by the Civil Aviation Authority acting on their own initiative rather than at the direction of his Department; [147558]
(2) if he will list the UK airports at which safety assessment of foreign aircraft ramp checks were carried out during 2003, indicating the number of aircraft checked at each airport; [147559]
(3) what criteria are used by his Department when deciding which foreign airlines and aircraft should be subject to safety assessment of foreign aircraft ramp checks; [1475601
(4) how many safety assessment of foreign aircraft ramp checks have been carried out at UK airports on behalf of his Department in each of the last five years. [147561]
§ Mr. McNultyThe Civil Aviation Authority carry out a programme of ramp inspections on the Department's behalf. We discuss that programme regularly with the Authority advising them of any information we have about potential safety concerns relating to particular aircraft, foreign airlines or the oversight provided by foreign regulatory authorities. The Authority organises visits to airports to maximise the number of inspections they can carry out, taking account of priorities as they arise; during such visits the Authority may inspect any aircraft which gives ground for concern. The Authority also makes specific visits for inspections of particular flights when requested to do so.
Inspections are carried out at the most appropriate airport, taking into account the routes operated by the airlines concerned. In 2003, inspections took place at the following airports:
669W
Airport Number of safety inspections Birmingham 1 Bournemouth 1 Bristol 8 Cardiff 1 East Midlands 2 Edinburgh 1 Exeter 9 Filton 1 Glasgow 3 Liverpool 1 London City 12 London Gatwick 51 London Heathrow 76 London Luton 11 London Stansted 17
Airport Number of safety inspections Manchester 13 Mansion 2 Norwich 2 Prestwick 1 Note:
These figures include 10 inspections of corporate and privately operated aircraft.
I refer to my answer to the hon. Member of 8 January 2004, Official Report, column 499W, which lists those airlines which have had permits to operate to the UK refused or suspended. In the case of other airlines we have not had the need to suspend or restrict permits and therefore it would not be appropriate to publish their names.
The number of inspections carried out on aircraft operated by foreign airlines in the last five years is as follows:
Number of Inspections 1999 103 2000 256 2001 221 2002 193 2003 203
§ Mr. WilshireTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will list the foreign airlines that are not banned from UK airspace but are banned from airspace elsewhere in Europe, indicating(a) where, (b) when and (c) for what reason these bans operated; and whether any of these airlines have operated in UK airspace while banned elsewhere; [147567]
(2) pursuant to his answers of 8 January 2004, Official Report, columns 429–30W, on British airspace, whether the standards that have to be met for the issue of a permit to operate a foreign aircraft in UK airspace are above the minimum required by the International Civil Aviation Organisation; [147568]
(3) on British airspace, if he will list the foreign airlines that would be banned from UK airspace if they were to apply for a permit; [147570]
(4) on British airspace, which foreign airlines would have had their applications for a permit turned down had they made one since January 2000. [147571]
§ Mr. McNultyI refer the hon. Member to my answer of 12 January 2004.Official Report, columns 545–46W, given to the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross (John Thurso). This explains the basis on which international civil aviation is governed and the conditions on which UK permits are issued to foreign airlines. That answer also explains why we are not able to give detailed information on permit action taken elsewhere in Europe.
Each application for a permit is considered on its merits and we could not prejudge our reaction to applications that foreign airlines might make in the future. There are a variety of reasons why permits have been refused, suspended or revoked and a range of permit restrictions possible, as demonstrated in the list included in the answer I gave the hon. Member on 670W 8 January 2004, Official Report. column 429W. The decisions not to allow services under the safety supervision of Equatorial Guinea, Gambia, Liberia and Tajikistan to operate to the UK were taken on the basis of information received about the ability of the aeronautical authorities of those countries to oversee the safety of their airlines and/or aircraft on their register. Those concerns continue, but we would be prepared to reconsider our position in the light of any additional information.
In the case of Gambia, we have issued a permit to Gambian International Airlines but only on the basis that the airline contracts with an acceptable non-Gambian airline to provide the aircraft and crew and to operate the flights on its behalf (called wet-leasing). In this case it has wet-leased an aircraft from Futura of Spain, and the Spanish authorities retain responsibility for the safety and operation of the aircraft.
§ Mr. WilshireTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the foreign airlines whose aircraft have been subject to one or more safety assessment of foreign aircraft ramp checks during each of the past five years indicating how many aircraft of each airline were tested. [147569]
§ Mr. McNultyThe Civil Aviation Authority carry out a programme of ramp inspections on the Department's behalf. We discuss that programme regularly with the Authority advising them of any information we have about potential safety concerns relating to particular aircraft, foreign airlines or the oversight provided by foreign regulatory authorities. The Authority organises visits to airports to maximise the number of inspections they can carry out, taking account of priorities as they arise; during such visits the Authority may inspect any aircraft which gives ground for concern. The Authority also makes specific visits for inspections of particular flights when requested to do so.
Inspections are carried out at the most appropriate airport, taking into account the routes operated by the airlines concerned. In 2003, inspections took place at the following airports:
Airport Number of safety inspections Birmingham 1 Bournemouth 1 Bristol 8 Cardiff 1 East Midlands 2 Edinburgh 1 Exeter 9 Filton 1 Glasgow 3 Liverpool 1 London City 12 London Gatwick 51 London Heathrow 76 London Luton 11 London Stansted 17 Manchester 13 Mansion 2 Norwich 2 Prestwick 1 These figures include 10 inspections of corporate and privately operated aircraft.
671WI refer to my answer to the hon. Member of 8 January 2004, Official Report, column 499W, which lists those airlines which have had permits to operate to the UK refused or suspended. In the case of other airlines we have not had the need to suspend or restrict permits and therefore it would not be appropriate to publish their names.
The number of inspections carried out on aircraft operated by foreign airlines in the last five years is as follows:
Number of inspections 1999 103 2000 256 2001 221 2002 193 2003 203