London’s status as one of the world’s leading financial centres is at risk of being undermined by excessive delays at Heathrow and the airport’s sprawling layout, the new City minister has warned. Financial Times

Kitty Ussher warned that the government shared business concerns about queues at passport control, the effect of security measures and the airport’s set-up.

The ‘advocate’ for business in government, spoke of the unhappiness felt by executives at the so-called Heathrow hassle and the miserable experiences they have suffered.

She voiced fears that big multinationals could question the rationale for holding annual or other important meetings in London.

‘I want multinational companies to feel really confident about housing their annual general meetings here,’ she said. ‘They often have it in a different financial centre every year, or board meetings, that kind of thing. I don’t want their New York or Dubai executives saying: ‘Oh God, I don’t want to go through Heathrow.’ I don’t want that to be an issue.’