§ 3.38 p.m.
§ LORD LUCAS OF CHILWORTHMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they consider that the holding of a motor cycle-Go-Kart race meeting at Abingdon R.A.F. Station on Sunday, July 14 is in keeping with the undertakings given in answer to a Question asked in the House on July 9 upon the subject of noise that "there are strict instructions to ensure that the civilian population is affected as little as possible "and" every effort will continue to be made to reduce disturbance to a minimum"; and what action is being taken to prevent a repetition of this nuisance.]
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (LORD CARRINGTON)My Lords, the Question and Answer to which the noble Lord refers dealt specifically with noise from aircraft. As regards the present Question, my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Air would not feel justified in forbidding the use of R.A.F. Abingdon for R.A.F. recreational purposes, provided that, as 1030 on this occasion, reasonable precautions are taken to reduce any disturbance to a minimum.
§ LORD LUCAS OF CHILWORTHMy Lords, with great respect, the Question I asked the noble Lord refers not only to this station but also to the undertakings which he gave me that the disturbance of the civil population would be reduced to a minimum. That was the subject of the Question. The noble Lord now says, if I heard him aright—he will correct me if I am wrong—that reasonable precautions were taken to safeguard the amenity of the civilian population. Reasonable precautions were not taken. And reasonable precautions are not taken at any time at this particular air station to safeguard the interests of the population. But may I ask the noble Lord whether he will consult with the noble Viscount the Leader of the House, who has just returned from a visit to Moscow—a very successful visit, where he persuaded the Russian Prime Minister of the danger of nuclear fallout to civilians or to nations as a whole—about taking the necessary steps to see that the noise from training aircraft over this country does not exceed what the noble Viscount's own Committee has said is absolutely intolerable? Will the noble Lord acquaint his noble friend the Leader of the House that there are 64 aerodromes over the country which are now surplus to R.A.F. requirements, as the noble Lord stated in a Written Reply to me the other day? And could the training, and his Go-Kart exercises with it, be at least transferred to one of the 64 aerodromes which are surplus to R.A.F. requirements?
§ LORD CARRINGTONMy Lords, that is a lot of questions. If the noble Lord will forgive me, I will reply only to those which relate to the original Question he asked me. My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Air and I are sorry if the noble Lord was disturbed on that Sunday by the GoKarting. This is always a difficult matter. It is difficult for my right honourable friend to stop a recreational pastime of this kind which is popular in the R.A.F.; and this is a convenient place to do it. I would point out to the noble Lord that many people live all round this area, as he said, and there was only one other complaint.
§ LORD LUCAS OF CHILWORTHMy Lords, may I correct the noble Lord? It did not cause me any disturbance; I was not there. But I do not raise a Question in this House only when it affects me personally; I raise a Question in this House when I think it is a public nuisance and other people are disturbed. No adequate precaution was taken in this case to see that the Sabbath Day, on which we are all, even the civilian population, at least entitled to some peace and quiet, was not disturbed.
§ LORD CARRINGTONMy Lords, I apologise for misleading the House. There was only one complaint.
§ LORD STONHAMMy Lords, can the noble Lord say whether "reasonable precautions" would include fitting silencers to the engines of the Go-Karts?
§ LORD CARRINGTONNo, my Lords; I do not think they did that. But it meant siting the meeting as far as possible from the centres of population.