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Dept of the Environment Transport and the Regions

Answer

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will issue directions to the Civil Aviation Authority under section 66 of the Transport Act 2000; and if he will make a statement. [156438] Mr. Prescott: Following consultation with the Secretary of State for Defence, I have today given directions to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in respect to their conduct of their air navigation functions under Chapter III of Part I of the Transport Act 2000. The directions set out how the CAA is to: organise the Directorate of Airspace Policy consult and liaise with military and civil providers of air traffic services and with airspace users, and mitigate the environmental impact of air operations, and charge the CAA, inter alia, with procuring the provision of a Lower Airspace Radar Service (LARS) in UK airspace and with ensuring the provision of an aeronautical information service. I have placed copies of the directions in the Library of the House. The Secretary of State for Defence and I regard airspace policy as a crucial component of the joint and integrated provision of air traffic services, to which the Government attach considerable importance. We intend, therefore, to agree together on: the appointment of the Director of Airspace Policy, who will be the member of the CAA nominated under section 66(3) of the Act; the content of any future direction to the CAA under section 66(1) or 68(3) of the Act. The member of the CAA with national security responsibility under section 67 of the Act is nominated by the Secretary of State for Defence and appointed by me.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

365 c739-40W; 156438

Session

2000-01

Subjects

Aviation Air traffic control Aircraft Civil Aviation Authority Environment protection Radar

Legislation

Transport Act 2000

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk