Aircraft Noise

HC Deb 22 November 1976 vol 919 cc1859-61

9. Mr. Molloy

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will make a further statement relating to endeavours to reduce aircraft noise with particular reference to flights passing over the London borough of Ealing.

Mr. Clinton Davis

Our continued application of the existing noise abatement measures at Heathrow, plus the steps being taken to ensure progressive reduction of aircraft noise at source, will, I hope, be of benefit to Ealing as well as to other places near airports.

Mr. Molloy

Is my hon. Friend aware that, notwithstanding my correspondence with him, there has been no abatement of noise over the London borough of Ealing? It is causing grave concern and is having a deleterious effect on the lives of many people. What steps are to be taken in a sincere and determined endeavour to reduce the noise and abate this menace?

Mr. Davis

It would not be right for me to hold out any hope of dramatic action in the short term, although the prospect is more hopeful for the long term. I recognise my hon. Friend's concern about his constituents. I am equally anxious about the situation. The noise in the summer months and early autumn was higher due to the increased number of easterly take-offs and landings required because of the wind conditions. I hope that the recent improvement in noise levels will continue. We are examining with the Civil Aviation Authority factors that will reduce easterly take-offs and landings, but I must always be concerned with the question of safety and the environmental benefit.

Mr. Jessel

Has the Minister been notified of the decision by the French Government to bring in, from April 1977, a differential airport charge so that quiet aircraft are required to pay less than noisy aircraft? Can we introduce a similar scheme?

Mr. Davis

We should seek an international harmonised scheme to deal with the matter rather than individual Governments going their own ways. We must have regard to our own British aviation interest and balance that, as we always try to do, against the environmental interests with which the hon. Member is so rightly concerned.

Mr. Buchan

Apart from dealing with aircraft noise through the aircraft themselves, is not my hon. Friend aware that many thousands of people in my constituency, for example, remain perplexed at the criteria applied when giving Government grants? Is he aware that only between 200 and 500 people in my area outside Glasgow have received grants? Should not this matter be considered urgently?

Mr. Davis

I do not think that there are any great difficulties about the criteria, but there are always anomalies in looking at criteria. I shall certainly examine any specific case to which my hon. Friend draws my attention.

Mrs. Bain

What attention, if any, is being paid to the procedures adopted at Zurich and New York Kennedy Airports, where local residents are better looked after than they are, for instance, at Abbotsinch and Ealing?

Mr. Davis

If the hon. Lady were to ask the residents near those airports, I am not sure that they would give her the answer that she expects.