Police at Heathrow to discuss security cost

Police have met with government officials at Heathrow Airport to discuss the rising cost of providing security at UK airports.

They spoke with members of the Home Office and Department for Transport to talk about ways in money spent on keeping passengers secure could be cut without exposing them to greater risk.

Counter-terrorism measures, which have been put into place in recent years and stepped up following the attacks on Glasgow Airport, were also under discussion as they make up much of the added cost.

Len Duvall, chair of the Metropolitan Police Authority, which co-hosted the meeting with the Metropolitan police, said: "There is inconsistency around the country on how airports pay or don't pay for the cost of policing.

"Only nine airports are required by law to contribute to the cost of policing. The others, including some that are now larger than those nine designated, don't have to pay a penny to police for deploying considerable resources."

He added that operators "must pay the lion's share" towards policing the UK's airports rather than leaving the main bulk up to the tax-paying public.