HC Deb 15 November 1971 vol 826 cc29-31
39. Mr. Hugh Jenkins

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many claims for compensation have now been received in respect of test flights by Concorde; what is the total amount of compensation claimed; how many claims have been admitted; what is the total sum now paid and how much is outstanding.

Mr. David Price

Up to 5th November, 605 claims had been received. 365 had been accepted, 112 withdrawn and 94 rejected. £20,702 has so far been paid in compensation. Estimates for some of the remaining 34 claims have not yet been put forward. It is not therefore possible to give figures for the total amount outstanding.

Mr. Jenkins

The Minister will agree that one claim for £21,000 is in, and that £7,500 has been paid as an interim payment on this claim. Will the Minister give details of this claim and say whether he expects to pay the full amount or some lesser amount?

Mr. Price

I cannot give the hon. Gentleman the full details because it is a very complex problem. A number of aspects must be gone into in detail. The figure will not be as large as that which the hon. Gentleman quoted.

Mr. Adley

So that the Question asked by the hon. Member for Putney (Mr. Hugh Jenkins) may not mislead the House—not that I suggest that the hon. Gentleman was trying to mislead the House—will my hon. Friend confirm that there is no question of supersonic booms over land causing claims for compensation? Some people still think that it is the intention of the airlines to fly supersonically over inhabited land. A reassurance on this point would help many people.

Mr. Price

The Government have power under the Civil Aviation Act, 1968, to regulate or to prohibit commercial supersonic flying over the United Kingdom; and they are at present considering how these powers should be exercised.

Mr. Benn

That goes rather less far than the previous Government went in their White Paper when we indicated that we intended that there should not be commercial supersonic over-flight and that we would enter into discussions with this object in mind. Does the Government's view represent a diminution in severity of the view taken by the previous Government?

Mr. Price

No, I would not say in general terms that it does. In reaching their decision the Government will take full account of the current series of test flights and of people's reactions thereto.