The UK Civil Aviation Authority has urged the government not to divide its regulatory functions between several bodies after the proposed privatisation of its National Air Traffic Services (NATS).
The authority, which at present owns and regulates NATS, was responding to options set out in a UK Government consultation paper preparing the ground for the air traffic control sell-off.
Although confirming its backing for selling NATS as a private/public partnership, the CAA has warned the government that splitting up its three regulatory departments - the Safety Regulation Group, Economic Regulation Group and Directorate of Airspace Policy would bring about "-loss of clarity and efficiency in having three or more separate bodies dealing with different aspects of aviation regulation", which the CAA believes could lead to "confusion and buck-passing".
In addition, it says the proposed options would "-move the regulatory functions closer to government, reducing the regulator's perceived independence from political pressures".
Source: Flight International
