Airport Security

The hon. Gentleman makes a good point. Again, that is something that we should seriously consider. We are adopting a number of such systems and there are other systems that we would love to adopt but cannot possibly afford. We would all like to fly in Israeli planes because they are so safe, but putting such high numbers of passengers—some 90 million—through that process on an annual basis in the UK would be virtually impossible. We must be realistic about that. The Government must hasten the development of ways of enhancing security. It is also important to speed up clearance and to alleviate delays at airports. As a frequent flyer, I think that more could be done and I speak on behalf of a growing band of travellers, when I say that I do not accept that making our lives better would compromise safely. I am not opposed to using biometrics or any other form of individual identification, such as fingerprints, if it smoothes the frustration of getting to my work and getting my fellow business men and travellers to work. At present, what we must face is quite unreal. Following the recent terror threats in the UK, security measures have impacted greatly on the aviation industry because of immediate costs caused by the cancellation of flights and because of the impact on consumer confidence, which has been reflected in forward bookings. We need worldwide standards not only to ensure the safety of passengers, but to provide a clear and coherent message to the travelling public. All that passengers want is to feel safe when they travel, and to get to their destination at the scheduled time. Every individual connected to air travel believes that passengers understand the need for enhanced security, but only if measures are well communicated, efficient and consistent. That is what I need to hear from the Minister this morning. Airlines, the Government and their agencies, and airport operators need to work together to ensure that that goal is achieved. I look forward to the Minister’s response and to other contributions.