§ 19. Mr. LOVAT-FRASERasked the Under-Secretary of State for Air if he will appoint a committee to inquire how the noise of aerial machines may be made less harassing and injurious to the community at large, and to make recommendations?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for AIR (Sir Philip Sassoon)The hon. Member's desire to limit the noise which is a general condition of modern life has my fullest sympathy. Much has already been done on experimental lines to reduce noise from aircraft, but the difficulty is that an effective silencer seriously curtails performance. This could not be accepted for fighting aircraft, and would have serious reactions on the commercial operation of civil aircraft. I hope, however, that we shall eventually attain a reduction of noise without a prohibitive sacrifice in other directions. As regards the suggestion for the appointment of a committee, my Noble Friend does not consider that the appointment of a new committee would advance matters, as a special aircraft noise sub-committee of the Aeronautical Research Committee has been engaged on the problem for some time, in collaboration with the National Physical Laboratory.
§ Mr. LOVAT-FRASERIn view of that answer, I give notice that I will raise this matter on the Motion for the Adjournment to-night.