NEW rules preventing the public disclosure of dangerous goods incidents on aircraft have been criticised by freedom of information information campaigners.
An EU regulation which came into force in November has banned the UK's aviation watchdog from revealing the details of safety breaches involving potentially deadly items which end up in plane holds without the pilot's knowledge.
This can include anything from paint, lighters, aerosols, and party poppers, to weapons, poison, acid, radioactive or infectious substances, and explosives.
Under Regulation (EU) No. 376/2014, the frequency and nature of dangerous goods incidents - which could previously be accessed by the press and public under freedom of information - will be "strictly confidential".
It applies to all national aviation regulators across the EU.
The Civil Aviation Authority said the rule would ensure a "relationship of trust" between the person reporting a breach and the regulatory authorities. It would protect safety information from "inappropriate use" and limit its access "solely to interested parties participating in the improvement of civil aviation safety", added the CAA.
However, freedom of information campaigners have questioned why previously available information should now be treated on a "need-to-know" basis.
Maurice Frankel, director of the Campaign for Freedom of Information, said: "This restrictive regulation was implemented earlier this year and directly stops FoI requests for previously available information.
"Secrecy breeds suspicion, and in this case prevents the public learning about potentially serious safety problems. CFoI calls on the government to justify why public information such as this should suddenly be hidden, and to commit to public consultation every time information that was publicly accessible becomes secret.
"In the meantime we would urge withdrawal of this regulation."
The Herald previously revealed how two litres of nitroglycerin had been carried on a passenger flight from Heathrow to Croatia in 2013 without any paperwork, and was only discovered during a post-flight luggage screening at Zaghreb Airport.
It was one of 900 dangerous goods incidents reported to the Civil Aviation Authority between 2009 and summer 2014, with the numbers soaring four-fold from 65 in 2009 to 278 by 2013.
Other safety lapses had included the transportation of 1023kg of "undeclared radioactive material" from Heathrow to China without paperwork; fuel-soaked blankets transported in the hold of a Boeing 777 passenger plane from Abuja, Nigeria to Heathrow; and eight sporting weapons and two rounds of live ammunition flown on an Airbus 319 passenger plane from France to UK, with airport ground staff only realising the weapons were on board once the plane was in the sky.
The change in the law comes into force amid heightened concerns over airport security after Russian passenger jet was blown up over Egypt by a bomb believed to have been planted in the aircraft's hold by a rogue staff member at Sinai Airport.
Security expert Jim Termini said the move fitted with authorities "drawing the detection of dangerous goods closer to the security function than was previously the case".
He added: "The rationale is that x-ray screeners are probably the last chance to detect undeclared or mis-packaged dangerous goods."
A spokesman for the CAA said: "Following the introduction of new European rules, we are no longer able to publicly release details of Mandatory Occurrence Reports (MOR) submitted to the CAA.
"The MOR scheme requires individuals and organisations within the aviation industry to report safety occurrences to the CAA, with the intention that these reports are used to constantly improve safety levels.
"The new rule will only allow these reports to be used for the specific and sole purpose of safety improvement. They will not therefore be available for use by the media or members of the public."
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