§ LORD LEATHERLANDMy 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 contracts are being placed for about £550,000 worth of constructional work at Wethersfield military aerodrome; whether this indicates that military flying activities with very high speed aircraft are to continue at this station; and whether such activities will constitute a danger to large-scale civilian flying to and from the airport at Stansted.]
§ LORD SHACKLETONMy Lords, contracts to the value of £551,400 were let in August, 1967, for constructional work at Wethersfield to meet the requirements of the United States Air Force. These particular costs will not be borne by Her Majesty's Government. Flying by high-speed aircraft will continue at the station for the time being, but the development of Stansted to its full planned capacity will make Wethersfield unusable for military flying. Although this will not happen until the mid-1970's, we are in touch with the United States Air Force about the possible use of the station for a non-flying task. The continuation of military flying at Wethersfield in the meantime will not constitute a danger to civil flying.
§ LORD LEATHERLANDMy Lords, I thank my noble friend for that reply. His announcement that flying will not be simultaneous from the two airfields removes a certain amount of apprehension. But will he say how much it will cost to move the Wethersfield aerodrome to a new site somewhere else in the Kingdom, and whether this sum will be added to the estimates already put forward for the cost of building Stansted?
§ LORD SHACKLETONMy Lords, only part of the additional work is directly related to flying activities, and, of course, the Americans were well aware 686 of the position in deciding whether the costs they expended were justified. It is not possible for me to say what replacement facilities, if any, will be needed in the future. I am sorry, but I cannot help the noble Lord further on this matter. I inquired, and it is not possible, I am afraid, to speculate on what will be needed, and indeed whether anything will be needed.