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Airports: Policing

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Transport (Alistair Darling) has made the following Ministerial Statement. Following my Statement of 21 November in which I announced that the Government had decided to commission an independent, wide-ranging review of policing at airports, I am pleased to announce today that I have appointed Stephen Boys Smith, a retired Home Office director-general, to lead the review. I expect the review to be completed by late spring. The review will aim to identify a sustainable approach to the policing of airports that takes account of the roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders in protecting an airport and in particular addresses the need for funding arrangements that are objective and transparent. The review will compare the present method of policing airports with that of other modes of transport and will consider whether the principle of designation can be made to work. If it cannot, the review is asked to propose alternative options. The full terms of reference are: To review the role of the police service at airports, using as a base-line the recommendations of Sir John Wheeler's 2002 review of airport security. The review will take account of any other relevant reports and will consider how the airport manager, the police and other stakeholders at the airport can best work together, given their respective roles and responsibilities, including under the National Aviation Security Programme. Account will also be taken of the extent of any overlap in security activities at airports and the scope for efficiencies. To compare the present approach to the policing of airports with that applied to other modes of transport to establish any differences or similarities in policing approaches, roles, responsibilities and accountabilities that may apply. This will include the current review into the BTP. To develop a model—with options recognising that different airports may require different approaches—for the policing of airports. To develop criteria upon which an objective assessment can be made as to whether an airport should be designated for policing purposes. Then to consider whether, on the basis of these criteria and taking account of voluntary multi-agency risk assessments (MATRA), the principle of the existing designation process can be made to work; and if not, to propose alternative options. To consider options and mechanisms for funding policing at airports in the light of any findings or recommendations that emerge from the review, taking account of the resources committed separately to security by airport operators and others. The review will take into account the economic impact of any recommendations that it makes. To consider any requirement for changes in legislation.