Civil Aviation Act 1971

4 Secretary of State's directions in national interest etc.

(1) In time of war, whether actual or imminent, or of great national emergency, the Secretary of State may by order require that all or any property or rights of or under the control of the Authority shall be placed at the disposal of the Secretary of State; and while an order under this subsection is in force—

(a) the Secretary of State may give to the Authority such directions as the Secretary of State thinks fit; and

(b) in so far as any directions given in pursuance of this subsection conflict with any requirements of this Act apart from this subsection those requirements shall be disregarded.

(2) Section 28 of the [1967 c. 33.] Air Corporations Act 1967 (which also relates to the Secretary of State's powers in case of emergency) shall have effect as if any reference in subsections (3) to (5) of that section to an order under that section included a reference to an order under the preceding subsection.

(3) The Secretary of State may, after consultation with the Authority, give to the Authority directions to do a particular thing which it has power to do or refrain from doing a particular thing if the Secretary of State considers it appropriate to give such directions—

(a) in the interests of national security; or

(b) in connection with any matter appearing to the Secretary of State to affect the relations of the United Kingdom with a country or territory outside the United Kingdom; or

(c) in order to discharge or facilitate the discharge of an obligation binding on the United Kingdom by virtue of its being a member of an international organisation or a party to an international agreement; or

(d) in order to attain or facilitate the attainment of any other object the attainment of which is in the opinion of the Secretary of State appropriate in view of the fact that the United Kingdom is a member of an international organisation or a party to an international agreement; or

(e) in order to enable the United Kingdom to become a member of an international organisation or a party to an international agreement; or

(f) in order to prevent or deal with noise, vibration, pollution or other disturbance attributable to aircraft used for the purpose of civil aviation ;

and in so far as any directions given in pursuance of this subsection conflict with the requirements of any provision of this Act except subsections (1) and (2) of this section those requirements shall be disregarded.