HL Deb 21 April 1964 vol 257 cc652-4
LORD CASEY

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are still satisfied with the prospects of the supersonic Concorde aircraft, in the light of the re-design that is being undertaken to make it more competitive; and whether they are satisfied that by the time the Concorde is due to enter regular service, acceptable solutions will have been reached to the related problems of weather forecasting, communications, traffic control and the like, in which a number of Commonwealth and other commercial air carriers will be very greatly interested.]

THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT (LORD CHESHAM)

My Lords, the changes proposed will increase the range and payload of the aircraft and make it capable of meeting a wider variety of airline requirements. As regards the second part of the Question, a great deal of hard work has still to be done on these problems to prepare the way for supersonic airline operations. This hard work is going on now, and we are confident that the necessary facilities will be available at the time when the Concorde is due to enter airline service.

LORD CASEY

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for his reply. May I venture to ask a supplementary question; namely, what degree of delay is likely to be entailed in the re-design of the Concorde?

LORD CHESHAM

None that I am aware of, my Lords. As I understand it, there is every confidence that it will enter service as planned in 1971.

LORD SHEPHERD

My Lords, would the noble Lord not agree that already at many airfields on the Far Eastern route the safety requirements are not up to the standards recognised in this country and in Europe, and that a great deal more must be done? In view of plans for this new aircraft and the new safety standards that will be required, can the noble Lord say what assistance they have offered, or are prepared to offer, to some of the smaller countries through which these aircraft will fly and in which they will land?

LORD CHESHAM

My Lords, I am not quite sure whether that is what the noble Lord, Lord Casey had in mind in his Question; but I think it is a matter that will require study, and is one that cannot be answered at the present time.

LORD SHEPHERD

My Lords, surely it relates to the second part of the Question, which refers to "weather forecasting, communications, traffic control and the like".

LORD CHESHAM

My Lords, that may be so; but it does not alter the fact that it is a matter requiring study, and possibly action in the future, if it is found to be necessary. I cannot answer the question now.

LORD CONESFORD

My Lords will supersonic flight involve a nuisance by noise, from which this country, owing to its geographical position, is likely to suffer more than any other country in the world?

LORD CHESHAM

My Lords, I think that on the question about nuisance to this country, owing to its geographical position, I should require notice. From the debates we have had in the past, we know that there is a noise problem, and I have explained to the House how this can be reduced to reasonable proportions.

LORD SHACKLETON

My Lords, although it does not arise directly out of this question, it is related in part to the preparations the Ministry are making in regard to this matter. Are they having talks with other countries, and particularly those that lie within Commonwealth links. If, as we hope, this aircraft is a great success, it may be flying to Australia. The point that my noble friend Lord Shepherd made has not really been answered. If I may just develop it, I appreciate that the noble Lord says that studies are going on. What we should like to know, and what I think the noble Lord, Lord Casey, would like to know, is how far they have proceeded, and whether negotiations are taking place with other countries on this subject.

LORD CHESHAM

My Lords, the noble Lord's question, as it has been picked up by noble Lords opposite, contains a generality. How I am supposed to answer a generality on how far talks on generalities have gone, I do not know. On some subjects, talks with other countries are quite far advanced, but I cannot generalise on how far talks have gone without knowing what is the particular subject. On a number of matters, such as air-traffic control and communications, talks are going on with other countries involved in the same problem, and will continue to do so; and I imagine that as time goes on they will go on further and further on wider and wider subjects.

LORD CASEY

My Lords, may I venture to ask a further supplementary question? Are Her Majesty's Government confident of the solution of the sonic boom problem, which has considerable social significance?

LORD CHESHAM

Yes, my Lords, with some qualifications. The sonic boom is a matter of fact that exists exactly as does the bow-wave of a ship. But we feel that this is a problem which is capable of solution by operating methods.