HC Deb 21 May 1958 vol 588 cc1297-8
43. Mr. Beswick

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what steps he has taken to secure international agreement on the standard of noise level above which aircraft are not permitted to land at major civil airports; to what extent, according to data officially available to him, the Soviet TU104 does not conform to this standard; and if he will make a statement as to the circumstances in which a TU104 was recently diverted to Stansted Airport.

Mr. Watkinson

I am in informal consultation with the airport authorities in a number of other countries on this difficult but most important question. I have repeatedly said that before permitting the new big jet aircraft to use my Ministry's major airports, the Government would have to consider whether their noise had been reduced to a tolerable level. According to widely accepted methods of noise measurement, the TU104 has been found to be considerbaly more noisy than any transport aircraft currently in use, and the Soviet authorities have been aware for some time that until it can be made quieter it cannot be used for regular operation into London Airport.

Mr. Beswick

The Minister has not answered the second and third parts of my Question, in which I asked him in what way this decision to divert this particular aircraft, which was made on technical grounds only, was made known to the Soviet authorities? How did we express our disappointment to them that it was necessary to have this diversion? In view of the fact that this kind of difficulty will arise much more in the future, can anything be done to get international agreement about noise level so that there is no future misunderstanding?

Mr. Watkinson

I entirely agree with the hon. Gentleman. It is high time that there were some international agreement on the noise level standard. I discussed the first part of his Question with officials of Aeroflot when they were over here for the recent talks, and they were in no doubt at all that this aircraft could not come into London Airport until silencing had been carried out, and which they say they can carry out satisfactorily. There was no misunderstanding.

Mr. Beswick

Surely the discussion over past months took place on general topics and not about this particular flight? In what way was our decision made known and our disappointment expressed to the people concerned that this diversion was necessary?

Mr. Watkinson

It is part of the general policy. I again made it plain that until further silencing had been done, not only on this jet aircraft but on all other jet aircraft, they could not come into London Airport, even on an ad hoc basis.

Mr. Hunter

Is the Minister aware that residents around London Airport will welcome his attempt to get an international agreement on this matter?