HC Deb 18 June 1969 vol 785 cc475-6
2. Mr. Gwilym Roberts

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will submit to the Roskill Commission on the location of a Third London Airport Departmental evidence on the development of vertical take-off airliners, in view of its relevance to the siting of airports.

Mr. William Rodgers

The Commission on the Third London Airport has already received evidence from the Government on this.

Mr. Roberts

Would my hon. Friend not agree that there is a great need to stress this matter since it is quite useless to have the present long and complicated inquiry involving time, labour and resources if by the '80s and '90s, when such an airport comes into operation, people can fly direct from the centre of London to the centre of New York?

Mr. Rodgers

I do not think that my hon. Friend's conclusions follow. I entirely agree with him that the prospects for short take-off and vertical take-off airliners are very interesting. That is why so much work is being done on this, particularly by my right hon. Friend's Department.

Back to