Airport Security

The whole question of policing is under review and I am not in a position to say anything further on that. I am sure that the matter will also be raised at the summit to which I referred. The hon. Lady raised questions about our review of arrangements, and I shall cover that in my conclusion. She also mentioned vehicle access barriers, and, as I said to my hon. Friend the Member for Middlesbrough, South and East Cleveland, since the incident at Glasgow, the Department is actively examining the best ways to mitigate against vehicle-carried devices. Barriers are not the only option, and these matters are in hand. I am only too aware that the very necessary measures that we have in place mean that both aviation staff and passengers are being tested. We will do what we can, particularly in explaining to the travelling public why these measures are necessary. As a first step, we will host a security summit later this month. It will bring together key players across the industry to make sure that we plan effectively and in a co-ordinated way for higher volumes of passengers, especially over the summer months. That will be backed up by a media and marketing campaign, which started yesterday, aimed at passengers, reminding them to arrive prepared when they travel to airports this summer. They should be aware that restrictions are still in place at UK airports and at a growing number of others across the world. Hon. Members asked for such an approach. We will do everything that we can to ensure that this issue gets as much exposure as possible. The summit that we expect to take place next week will provide an opportunity for Government and senior industry representatives to look ahead to see how industry operational needs and security requirements can be handled in a holistic fashion. I would like to express my appreciation to hon. Members for the constructive way in which this morning’s discussion has been handled and for the tone used. I know from this debate that we all want the same objective: safe and efficient travel. I assure hon. Members who have participated in this debate and, indeed, the whole House, that we are as committed as they are in wanting to ensure that that aim is secured as quickly as possible.