HC Deb 29 April 1970 vol 800 cc1236-7
20. Mr. J. H. Osborn

asked the President of the Board of Trade what organisation he has now set up to promote city centre to city centre civil airline services in the United Kingdom, Europe and even farther afield using short takeoff and landing and vertical take-off and landing aircraft; and what evidence has been given to the Roskill Commission about this form of airline development.

Mr. Goronwy Roberts

The first task is to evaluate the economic and operational aspects of services with aircraft of these kinds and the Commission on the Third London Airport has been told that it will be informed of the result of studies now in hand on STOL systems. It is likely to be some years before aircraft of either sort are sufficiently developed for widespread commercial use.

Mr. Osborn

While I readily accept that it will be in the 1980s before anything materialises, there has been the Ministry of Technology's report on sites. Who will have the responsibility of developing airport sites and services? Will it be the civil airports authorities or the local authorities? Is it not possible that, if technological developments go apace, the third London Airport will be obsolete before it comes into service?

Mr. Roberts

The question of sites is part of a very wide-ranging area of study particularly in regard to the possibilities of STOL, in which my Department, the Ministry of Technology and the Ministry of Transport are engaged. As the hon. Gentleman knows, STOL shows a greater likelihood than VTOL of becoming commercially viable at the moment. I will bear the other point he mentioned in mind, but I do not feel I can give him an answer now.

Mr. Snow

Does not this question demonstrate how wise the Government were to give prompt financial aid to the Britten-Norman aircraft, the Islander, which is a feeder aircraft now much in use overseas, and which could be used far more in this country?

Mr. Roberts

I think that is so, and that my hon. Friend's view would command fairly general agreement.

Mr. Corfield

In view of the interdependence between development of aircraft and development of ground facilities, for which the right hon. Gentleman is responsible, can we look to him to set a rather brisker pace than the Minister of Technology is doing with regard to aircraft?

Mr. Roberts

I must say that I am flattered that anyone should think that I could set a brisker pace than my right hon. Friend the Minister of Technology: I will do my best.