HC Deb 22 November 1967 vol 754 cc1284-6
4. Mr. Boston

asked the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has considered from the Greater London Council for a new inquiry into the proposal to site the third London airport at Stansted; and what reply he has given.

The President of the Board of Trade (Mr. Anthony Crosland)

I have received a resolution to this effect from the Greater London Council. The Government have, however, as already announced, confirmed the Stansted decision, while considering the possibility of realigning the runways to reduce disturbance from aircraft noise.

Mr. Boston

Will my right hon. Friend accept that a great many people will be very relieved by that reassuring news? Will he confirm that he will continue to resist any demands for further inquiries, because there have been quite sufficient into this matter already? Will he give any indication of when the development order is likely to be introduced?

Mr. Crosland

I am also relieved by the first remark in my hon. Friend's supplementary question. As to the remainder of it, there will not be a public inquiry into this matter. As to the development order, I cannot give a date because that depends on when discussions with the local authorities are concluded.

Mr. Corfield

Will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that, in the light of the inspector's report, by making this decision, he has utterly undermined public confidence in the whole of the inquiry system and has failed to carry with him either the public or expert opinion in the aviation world with regard to the right site?

Mr. Crosland

This decision has been examined and argued about for not merely months but a matter of years. I re-examined it when I went to the Board of Trade at the beginning of September and satisfied myself again that Stansted is the best site. If we were to reopen the matter now it would cause a very considerable risk of delay in our building the third London airport, with serious consequences to our economy and balance of payments.

Mr. A. Royle

In view of the decision to spend public money inquiring into the realignment of runways at Stansted, will the right hon. Gentleman also consider realignment of runways at Heathrow? This would relieve the nuisance of noise caused for many London residents?

Mr. Crosland

That is another question. As the hon. Member knows, I am concerned about the problem of noise at London Airport. On the realignment of the runway at Stansted, the Government have been willing to incur an additional cost which may rise to £10 million in order greatly to reduce the noise and the threat to amenity in the Stansted area.

Mr. Goodhew

Surely this saving of £10 million on the existing runway at Stansted was the one reason for using the Stansted site? That being so, surely the right hon. Gentleman is willing to look at the matter again?

Mr. Crosland

The hon. Member is wholly misinformed about this. It was never the sole reason for choosing Stansted, as was made perfectly clear in the White Paper and in public discussions on the matter. There were many other powerful reasons argued in the White Paper for choosing the Stansted site.

Mr. Biggs-Davison

On a point of order—

Mr. A. Royle

On a point of order—

Mr. Speaker

Order. One point of order at a time. Mr. Biggs-Davison.

Mr. Biggs-Davison

On a point of order. In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, deeply injurious to my constituents—

Mr. Speaker

Order. Notice must be given in the conventional way.

Mr. Biggs-Davison

I beg to give notice that I will raise the matter on the Adjournment.