HC Deb 30 October 1946 vol 428 cc596-7
27. Mr. Rankin

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation what progress has been made towards the installation at Renfrew airport of the standard beam approach system for winter operations.

Mr. Lindgren

My Noble Friend appreciates the importance of installing the standard beam approach system at Renfrew as soon as possible. It is expected that site tests will be completed within the next one to two weeks and in the meantime negotiations are proceeding for the acquisition of the necessary land.

Colonel J. R. H. Hutchison

Can the Parliamentary Secretary inform the House whether there have been many occasions in this country where services have had to be cancelled owing to insufficient or unsatisfactory beam service equipment?

Mr. Lindgren

Yes, Sir.

Mr. Rankin

Could the hon. Gentleman say whether or not any attempt has been made to make good this deficiency in equipment by the use of material from redundant air stations?

Mr. Lindgren

The question of material is not the factor which has caused delay; the cause of delay is the difficulty in the acquisition of land, and landowners have not been too helpful.

Mr. Cobb

Can my hon. Friend say whether, when this equipment is installed, it will be British or foreign equipment?

Mr. Lindgren

British equipment.