10. Mr. Gresham Cookeasked the President of the Board of Trade what regulations he lays down for helicopter services from Central London to Heathrow, with regard to noise to residents and flight-paths.
§ Mr. J. P. W. MallalieuThere are at present no e' regular helicopter services between Central London and Heathrow Airport. I am considering, from the air traffic control, safety and noise points of view, the routes and heights which might be adopted for the proposed B.E.A. service, if it were to come into operation.
Mr. Gresham CookeWould the Minister ask his right hon. Friend to introduce regulations to prohibit these helicopter services, because if B.E.A. introduces them and the Labour Government allow them, the Government will be annoying Battersea, Wandsworth, Putney, Richmond, Twickenham and Feltham?
§ Mr. MallalieuI do not want to prejudge the issue, but I very well understand the concern of the hon. Gentleman and many other hon. Members about the noise problem, and we shall look at this with great care.
§ Mr. Hugh JenkinsWill my hon. Friend bear in mind that the political complexion of the Greater London Council has unfortunately changed and that it is therefore possible that in its newness it might conceivably grant permission, for which application has been made, for a helicopter port in Battersea? Should that unfortunate eventuality occur, will my hon. Friend and his right hon. Friend intervene to make sure that such a decision is overruled?
§ Mr. MallalieuThat is a very hypothetical question, but, even if the answer went the wrong way from my hon. Friend's point of view, we are still a long-stop at the Board of Trade.