We have been requested, by the National Audit Office, to provide a formal response to the following question that arose from the Committee of Public Accounts report on the NATS Public/Private partnership:
Why were NATS' Article 88 Approvals-to-Operate Time-Limited until 1/2/2003? Was Swanwick a Factor and/or was the PPP?
NATS' Article 88 approvals-to-operate were time-limited until 1 February 2003 because it was anticipated that the new owners were likely to make changes to the NATS' corporate management structure and its interrelationships with its operational services post PPP. These factors are critical to NATS' Safety Management System, which is the basis on which NATS' approval is given, and the period between the PPP date and 1 February 2003 would have allowed the effects of any changes to be identified and to stabilise fully. Following a satisfactory audit by the CAA Safety Regulation Group's Air Traffic Services Standards Department, a continuous Article 88 Approval was given.
Thus the limitations were entirely PPP related and were not associated with Swanwick or the general provision of a safe operational air traffic service.
Richard Profit
Group Director Safety Regulation
Safety Regulation Group
7 October 2003
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12/2003 841355 19585