UK Government transport secretary Grant Shapps has been told he risks accusations of a “cover up” unless he answers key questions about a sanctions-busting flight from Inverness to Russia.
The SNP wrote to Mr Shapps after we revealed on Monday that the private charter to Moscow was given the green light by the Home Office’s Border Force, as well as the police’s Special Branch.
Boris Johnson was also challenged about the flight at prime minister’s questions in the Commons on Wednesday.
The Conservative leader vowed to ensure MPs were “properly informed”, after the SNP’s Richard Thomson asked him to say who was on board and why the plane was allowed to depart.
A family of three was believed to have chartered the Estonian-registered jet, which travelled to Moscow’s Vnukovo airport, but the identity of the passengers has not been disclosed.
Mr Shapps had publicly accused Inverness Airport of having “failed to comply” with a ban on Russia flights, which was introduced through a Notice of Air Missions (NOTAM) the day before the departure from the Highland capital on February 26.
But we published transcripts showing national air traffic controllers told Inverness Airport crews that they would not stop the flight because they would “expect contact” from Mr Shapps’ department for transport if they were to do “anything specific”.
SNP transport spokesman Gavin Newlands and Inverness MP Drew Hendry have since written to Mr Shapps asking who authorised the flight and why.
They said: “When you were challenged at the time as to why this flight was permitted, you accused Inverness airport of ‘failing to comply’ with the NOTAM regulation.
‘Fundamentally untrue’
“However, there is now documentary evidence which proves this to be fundamentally untrue.
“The truth is that Inverness airport permitted the departure of this Russian private jet for one reason only – because your government gave the go ahead.”
The MPs asked Mr Shapps who authorised the flight and what was known about who was on board, as well the role played by the transport department.
“Unless clear and transparent answers are quickly forthcoming to these specific questions, the suspicion will naturally grow that both you and your department are attempting to cover up why your department authorised a flight which broke the sanctions you had yourself had imposed,” they said.
A spokesman for the UK Government’s department for transport said: “It is entirely incorrect to claim the transport secretary authorised this specific flight.
“Inverness Airport did not contact the department for transport before the flight left.
“A NOTAM was issued on 25th February by the NATS on behalf of the UK Government informing all aviation stakeholders.
“It is the responsibility of all operators, including Inverness airport, to ensure they are monitoring NOTAMs and complying with the restrictions.”
At prime minister’s questions on Wednesday, Mr Thomson challenged Mr Johnson to commit to informing MPs at the earliest possible opportunity who was travelling on that flight and why there was no attempt made by the UK Government to keep the plane on the ground.
Mr Johnson responded: “I don’t know the answer to his question – as soon as we get some information about that I’ll make sure the House is properly informed.”
Where did the plane fly next?
Sky News reported that the private jet set off from Inverness at 9.39am UK time and arrived in Moscow around 4pm local time.
About four hours later, the jet flew from Moscow to Geneva.
The same jet has not had a recorded flight from the UK to Russia since February 26.