London Airport (Hansard, 2 May 1960)

§ 7. Mr. Langford-Holt
asked the Minister of Aviation why no air-conditioning was incorporated in the Central Terminal Building at London Airport.

§ Mr. Rippon
The building is mechanically ventilated with six changes of air an hour, and it was not considered that the high cost of full air-conditioning would be justified.

§ Mr. Langford-Holt
Is my hon. Friend not aware that in the view of a great many people, especially of those who use it, this will eventually be proved to be a false economy, and that it would have been much better to have installed air-conditioning at the time of construction?

§ Mr. Rippon
Six changes is, I understand, well above the average, and it is felt that this system is satisfactory having regard to the much greater cost of full air-conditioning.

§ 8. Mr. Langford-Holt
asked the Minister of Aviation how many retail shop concessions have been given in the North Buildings, the Central Terminal area, and the Roof Gardens enclosure on the Queen's Building at London Airport; and what number have been awarded to other than the highest bidder.

§ Mr. Rippon
There are 20 retail shop concessions, and in all cases the Department accepted the offer most likely to give the best financial return together with the requisite standard of service to the public.

§ Mr. Langford-Holt
What is the difference between an "offer which is calculated to give the best financial return" and the "highest bidder"?

§ Mr. Rippon
The basis of the tender is the percentage on the turnover, and because the money actually received depends upon the standard of service there is a clear relation between the two. It is also important to have regard to whether or not the standard offered is too expensive or too exclusive, or whether it is too low, for the passengers with whom we are dealing.

§ 11. Mr. Hunter
asked the Minister of Aviation what is the number of earth walls that have been built at London Airport to baffle noise; and what progress has been made with plans for additional ones to assist in noise abatement.

§ Mr. Rippon
Two earthbanks have been built at London Airport, one by 673 B.O.A.C. and one by Air India. Pan American Airways is proposing to erect a building with a wall extension to serve as a noise barrier instead of an earth-bank, and plans have been submitted to my right hon. Friend and to the local planning authorities for approval. B.O.A.C. intends to construct a second earthbank and we are taking steps to acquire the necessary land.

§ Mr. Hunter
Will the Parliamentary Secretary, in the interests of the local residents and of noise abatement, endeavour to speed up the completion of these proposed walls to baffle noise? They are urgently wanted. Will he specially speed up the Pan American Airways work?

§ Mr. Rippon
We are certainly anxious that this work should be completed as soon as possible. In the case of Pan American Airways, as in the case of B.O.A.C, there have been changes of plans. They originally proposed an earthwork but then decided to have a new building which serves the same purpose. They are naturally as anxious as we are to get their building completed.

§ Mr. Beresford Craddock
Is it not a fact that a wall has proved to be quite inadequate for absorbing noise, and that when it was tried before it had to be pulled down and they switched over to an earthbank? Will my hon. Friend have another look at that, please?

§ Mr. Rippon
We have to have regard to the building which Pan American Airways is putting up. We feel it will prove as adequate as an earthbank. It certainly cannot be pulled down to make an earthbank.

§ Mr. Lipton
Would not a much better contribution to noise abatement be that no jet aircraft should be allowed to take off from London Airport after 12 midnight?

Hon. Members
Answer.

§ 19. Mr. Chetwynd
asked the Minister of Aviation what action he is taking to cut down the time taken to clear passengers at London Airport from the time of landing to reaching the London Terminal.

§ Mr. Rippon
Clearance through London Airport is reasonably expedi- 674 tious, although there tends to be some congestion at the peak periods. The new long-haul building and the alterations at the present Central Passenger Building which we have in mind should make a further improvement.
My right hon. Friend has asked the Airline Corporations to let him have their views on access between the Airport and Central London in the light of the important road works which have already been done and the further improvements which are planned. My right hon. Friend will then consult further with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport.

§ Mr. Chetwynd
What is the point of spending millions of pounds to knock ten minutes off the journey from Paris to London and then have that time wasted because people have to hang about London Airport waiting to go through immigration and Customs? Can the Minister say whether any step has been taken to increase the number of immigration and Customs officers on duty at London Airport?

§ Mr. Rippon
I do not like to give the hon. Gentleman an off-the-cuff detailed answer to the final part of his supplementary question, but we accept that it is important that these clearance facilities should be as good as possible. My right hon. Friend has, for example, asked the airline Corporations to let him have their views on access between the airport and Central London. We have also looked very carefully at the question of whether or not baggage handling could be speeded up. Detailed steps have been taken, and will continue to be taken, to keep the position as satisfactory as possible.