Finance (No. 2) Act 2023

339 Approval of aerodromes U.K.

(1) CEMA 1979 is amended as follows.

(2) After section 20(A) insert—

“20B Approval of aerodromes

(1) The Commissioners may approve an aerodrome for the purposes of the customs and excise Acts.

(2) In any case where they consider it would facilitate the administration, collection or enforcement of any duty of customs, the Commissioners may by regulations—

(a) specify conditions which must be met before an approval is granted, or

(b) specify other conditions which they may, in any particular case, require to be met before an approval is granted.

(3) In any other case, an approval has effect subject to such conditions and restrictions as the Commissioners think fit.

(4) The Commissioners may at any time for reasonable cause revoke or vary the terms of an approval.

(5) This section does not apply in relation to an aerodrome which is a customs and excise airport.”.

(3) Section 21 (control of movement of aircraft, etc into and out of the United Kingdom) is amended in accordance with subsections (4) to (7).

(4) In each of subsections (1), (2), (3)(a) and (b) and (4), for “customs and excise airport”, in each place it occurs, substitute “regulated aerodrome”.

(5) After subsection (5) insert—

“(5A) A person in control of an unregulated aerodrome must take reasonable steps to secure that no aircraft lands at, or departs from, the aerodrome in circumstances in which there would be a contravention of any of subsections (1) to (3).”

(6) In subsection (6), for “this section” substitute “subsections (1) to (4)”.

(7) After subsection (6) insert—

“(6A) For the purposes of this Act each of the following is a “regulated aerodrome”—

(a) a customs and excise airport, and

(b) an aerodrome approved under section 20B,

(and any other aerodrome is an “unregulated aerodrome”).”.

(8) In section 22 (approval of examination stations at customs and excise airports)—

(a) in the heading, for “customs and excise airports” substitute “regulated aerodromes”;

(b) in subsection (1), for “customs and excise airport” substitute “regulated aerodrome”.

(9) In section 22A (examination stations), in each of subsections (1)(a), (1A) and (2), for “customs and excise airport” substitute “regulated aerodrome”.