West Midlands Liberal Democrats

Lib Dem Euro MPs are pressing the EU Transport Commissioner to clarify the safety status of PIA, Pakistan's national airline, after recent action to improve maintenance procedures on planes based in Pakistan.
West Midlands MEP Phil Bennion and four colleagues have written to Siim Kallas to explain what the Commission's view is of Pakistan's airline safety regime and whether there is any possibility of a ban on PIA flights from EU airports.
In March, the European Safety Agency suspended a section of the EU's Air Safety Certificate for PIA following concern at the organisation of aircraft maintenance approval procedures in Pakistan, where the state-owned airline's fleet is based.
The move led to a rapid overhaul of procedures in Pakistan to comply with international standards, as recognised by the Commission in a statement on April 4th, but six weeks later there is no sign of the Air Safety Certification being fully restored.
Phil Bennion said: "Airline safety is absolutely paramount and the European Aviation Safety Agency must take action once it identifies concerns. But it must also respond in a timely manner when these concerns are acted on.
"PIA flights perform an absolutely vital service to hundreds of thousands of our constituents in the Pakistani diaspora. Any radical action could cause huge disruption.
"We share the huge concern in the community that despite rapid steps by the Pakistan authorities to improve procedures, there is still uncertainty over the EU's official view of PIA.
"The continued suspension of this part of the Air Safety Certificate needs to be explained. It has led to speculation as to what the reasons for the suspension are and also to fears of a complete ban on PIA flights landing in the EU.
"This uncertainty is hardly what was expected when the EU and Pakistan agreed their historic 5 year Engagement Plan, also in March this year, which is aimed at increasing mutual co-operation and dialogue to benefit all concerned.
"The Commission has stressed it is ready to provide active support to Pakistan, but PIA and the Pakistani community are rightly very anxious to sort out what PIA's safety status is and what if anything still needs to be done to resolve the situation.
"We are urging Commisioner Kallas to provide further information and set out what concrete plans he has to support Pakistan in implementing safety reforms so certification can be restored."
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