HC Deb 08 February 1967 vol 740 cc1646-8
45. Mr. Rankin

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the need for a third London Airport; what consideration he has given to the Report on its location; and when it is proposed to commence building operations.

Mr. J. P. W. Mallalieu

Yes, Sir. The Report of the Stansted public inquiry has been carefully studied and we hope to announce the Government's decision soon. Construction will be a matter for the British Airports Authority but cannot, of course, begin until a decision on the site has been taken.

Mr. Rankin

Is not my hon. Friend aware that the Daily Express announced the Government's decision on Thursday of last week? In view of the fact that he has told us that the decision is yet to be announced, is the decision which was publicly announced last week the one that the Government propose to announce—that Stansted will be the third London Airport?

Mr. Mallalieu

I saw the story in the Daily Express but what I see in the Daily Express I find not always to be accurate. No decision has yet been taken.

Mr. Onslow

Will the hon. Gentleman make sure that the House is told as soon as the decision is made? How soon is "soon"—next week or next month?

Mr. Mallalieu

The answer to the first part of that supplementary question is, "Yes", and the answer to the second part is, "Shortly".

Sir A. V. Harvey

Will the hon. Gentleman take into account that this matter has been outstanding far too long, bearing in mind the inefficiency and hopelessness of London Airport, which is a disgrace to Britain and a lasting monument to Socialism, having been built in the post-war years?

Mr. Mallalieu

This matter has taken a long time but it is important to get it right.

68. Sir G. Sinclair

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of his forecast of an early decision on London's third airport, he has undertaken a detailed study of the practicability of siting this airport on the coast so that aircraft may approach and take off over the sea.

Mr. Jay

We have studied all the relevant issues.

Sir G. Sinclair

Will the Minister publish the Report on the third London Airport, particularly the survey of the possibility of having an airport with take-off and landing over the sea, and give this House and the country an opportunity to discuss this before the final decision is made?

Mr. Jay

We shall publish the Report of the public inquiry on Stanstead, and we shall make a full statement as soon as we have taken a decision.

Mr. Rankin

As the third London Airport is needed now, will my right hon. Friend not embark on any action which might slow down the creation of the new third airport?

Mr. Jay

Yes, Sir. I think that I can give that assurance.

Mr. John Hall

What consideration has been given to the suggestion that an airport might be built in the Thames Estuary?

Mr. Jay

We have reviewed the whole of this problem, including all the alternatives and all the relevant factors, and that is one of the possibilities which we have taken into account.

Mr. Corfield

Does not the right hon. Gentleman agree that if his preliminary decision tends to come down for an alternative to Stanstead, he will then he obliged to go through all the procedure of another planning inquiry which at the end of the day might well prove that yet another is necessary in order to reach yet another alternative? Is it not time that he consulted his right hon. Friend the Minister of Housing and Local Government to see whether a more expeditious procedure can be worked out?

Mr. Jay

That appears to be inevitable from legislation which, I think, was introduced by the party opposite.

Mr. Corfield

It was the Labour Party.

Mr. Jay

In that case, I accept responsibility. The rational thing for the Government to do, quite apart from public inquiries, is to look at all the relevant factors and then make their decision among all the alternatives. That is how we intend to proceed.

Mr. Hugh Jenkins

Will my right hon. Friend take into consideration the fact that London is alone among the capitals of the world in that 80 per cent. of the aircraft landing at London have to fly over residential areas of the capital? For this reason, will he pay particular attention to the necessity of siting the airport not to the west of the capital, but to the east or south of it?

Mr. Jay

Yes, Sir. It is not quite as simple as that, but we shall not overlook that fact.