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Government plans to double spending on airport security

Government spending on airport security is likely to be doubled in the wake of the Paris terrorist massacres.

The disclosure came from home secretary Theresa May in a statement to the House of Commons yesterday.

At least 129 people have now been confirmed as being killed and more than 400 injured in the attacks in the French capital on Friday night carried out by Islamic State militants.

France is extending for three months the state of emergency imposed after the attacks.

The Eiffel Tower, which normally attracts up to 20,000 visitors a day, re-opened yesterday afternoon after being closed over the weekend. Museums and concert halls also re-opened.

Disneyland Paris is expected to resume accepting visitors tomorrow.

May told MPs in a statement on the government’s response to the terrorist attacks that 1,900 more security and intelligence officers would be recruited to better respond to threats such as cyber attacks.

She added: “We will also boost aviation security. That is why the prime minister has ordered a rapid review of security at a number of airports around the world.

“Aviation specialists will conduct assessments over the next two months at locations in the Middle East and North Africa in particular.

“This follows additional measures that the UK and US put in place at a number of potentially vulnerable airports over the past year, steps which will be reviewed to check that they go far enough.”

The National Security Council will discuss the government’s policy on aviation security today (Tuesday) “and we will put forward a proposal to more than double government spending on aviation security over this Parliament,” May added.

Meanwhile, an estimated €2.3 billion was knocked off shares in travel and leisure companies in Europe, possibly due to concerns the attacks could weaken tourist and consumer demand.

Tui fell 46p to £10.88, International Airlines Group fell 16.5p to 576p, easyJet was down 7p to £17.83 and Carnival Corporation dropped 88p to £33.83. Air France and Accor both lost 5% on the Paris stock exchange.

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