To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which statutory body or part of his Department is responsible for advising (a) him and (b) local authorities on the safety of people on the ground outside the statutory safety and air zones of new or expanding airports.

The Civil Aviation Authority has the statutory responsibility for the safety regulation of civil aviation. The primary purpose of its safety regulation group, which comprises some 750 professional and other staff, is to minimise the probability of aircraft having accidents or incidents. By so doing, the authority also protects people on the ground.