§ 31. Mr. Chetwyndasked the Minister of Aviation when he proposes to bring in legislation to establish an airport authority, as proposed in Command Paper No. 1457 of August, 1961.
§ Mr. ThorneycroftIt is unlikely that there will be the necessary Parliamentary time for a Bill to establish an Airport Authority before the next Session.
§ Mr. ChetwyndAs there is general agreement on the desirability of this move, is that a sufficient answer to give? Cannot the right hon. Gentleman go ahead with this straight away?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftThere is general agreement about the desirability of many moves, but it is not possible to put them all in the programme for one Session.
§ Sir A. V. HarveyWill my right hon. Friend consult the Leader of the House to see if time could be found for this Measure? It is generally agreed by both sides [Interruption.]—let me finish—that the sooner London Airport is handed over to an independent authority the more efficient it will be. To think that it will not be handed over for another two years is the end.
§ Mr. ThorneycroftI have no doubt that this exchange will reach the notice of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, but I can give no undertaking.
§ Mr. G. BrownIn view of the right hon. Gentleman's explanation of why this apparently genuine desire cannot be met in this Session, will he make it plain to the Leader of the House that if the Government were to stop the Immigration Bill they would surely have time for this Measure?