Examination of Witnesses (Questions 231
- 239)
WEDNESDAY 8 DECEMBER 1999
SIR MALCOLM
FIELD, MR
RICHARD PROFIT
AND MR
P GRIFFITH
Chairman
231. Good afternoon to you, Sir Malcolm. I wonder
if you would like to tell us why we were expecting two of you
and we have three.
(Sir Malcolm Field) Thank you very much for the opportunity
of being here this afternoon. I have with me Richard Profit, who
is the Safety Director.
232. Yes, we had expected him.
(Sir Malcolm Field) And Phil Griffith, who is in charge
of the air traffic services side of safety and aerodromes. For
us, as safety regulators, there is really only one important issue
coming out of the PPP: will it affect safety? If it were to damage
safety, we say it should not go ahead. It is as simple as that.
So what will the impact be? First, the separation of NATS from
the CAA will have a positive impact on safety. By making the system
more open and accountable it will help to buttress public confidence
in aviation safety. The CAA will, of course, remain in the public
sector. Apart from that positive benefit, PPP cannot, in our view,
change the safety of the system at all. All aspects of aviation—from
the training of ATCO's to the hours they are allowed to work,
to spot checks and audits, to reporting mechanisms, and investigation
procedures—these are strictly controlled by laws and regulations,
which are enforced by the CAA and other authorities. These are
not issues which can be decided by management will. They are the
laws of the land. The final point I would like to make is this:
safety requires that there should be continuing investment in
new technology. There will be huge increases in air traffic in
the years ahead. Volumes, in our view, will double by 2010. NATS
must have certainty that it will get the investment it needs.
The CAA already regulates BA staff and BAA in the private sector.
In just the same way we would regulate NATS in the private sector
without fear or favour. There is ample evidence within the industry
to show that privatisation and commercial imperatives are not
barriers to the achievement and maintenance of the highest levels
of safety. The model safety regulation of aviation has been widely
praised. Nothing of that safety framework would be changed by
the PPP. I sincerely believe that safety is not a public sector
versus private sector issue.
233. Do you think the staff of NATS are efficient,
Sir Malcolm?
(Sir Malcolm Field) I think that as operators they
have an extremely good track record. They are extremely efficient.
They are extremely dedicated and extremely committed.
234. So what would new management bring that
you have not, at the present time, if they are these paragons
of virtue?
(Sir Malcolm Field) One has to look to the future.
Our view is that air traffic across Europe and the services provided
are going to change very considerably over the next five to ten
years. The changes will come about as a result of much greater
pressures. Competitive pressures, because the airlines are saying
that service levels to date have simply not been good enough.
I am glad to say that NATS, in the last 12 months, have shown
a better result (apart from one other) in the whole of Europe.
What do we require if it is to be more competitive and more commercial?
We need to widen the skill base of the NATS, the management team.
By that I mean areas like marketing, finance, and the whole question
of project management.
235. So not safety? Not control of the air space,
but marketing?
(Sir Malcolm Field) As far as safety is concerned,
I think they have an extremely good track record. There is a very
strong safety culture which exists—
236. Yes, we have done that bit, Sir Malcolm.
(Sir Malcolm Field) But you have asked me the question
so I was trying to respond to it.
237. Yes. It is marketing, according to you.
(Sir Malcolm Field) Marketing is one of them.
238. Financial services and marketing.
(Sir Malcolm Field) Financial, not services. Financial.
239. How many inspectors do you have at the
moment?
(Sir Malcolm Field) Flight operations inspectors?
| 
