§ 2.38 p.m.
§ LORD TREFGARNEMy 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 will refer the increase in landing fees to take effect at Heathrow and Gatwick Airports on April 1 next to the Prices and Incomes Board.]
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, landing fees at Gatwick airport are not being increased and it is not proposed to refer the increased charges on international flights landing at Heathrow to the National Board for Prices and Incomes.
§ LORD TREFGARNEMy Lords, I am grateful for that reply also. I wonder whether the noble Lord is aware that landing fees in the United Kingdom, which broadly follow the same pattern whether they are at Airports Authority or other airfields, are without exception the highest in the world, except I believe for Greenland, and whether therefore increases at this time are not altogether inappropriate? And is it true that the Airports Authority are proposing to reduce landing fees for cargo aircraft quite substantially?
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, as far as the first point is concerned, I am not aware of the allegation made by the noble Lord. I am aware that there is a good deal of unfounded criticism of the charges levied. The fact of the matter is that the charges of the British airports, those under the British Airports Authority and the Board of Trade airport, are total charges covering all services, whereas at most other airfields overseas there is a 392 separate charge for each service provided and the total is in most cases higher than the airport charges in this country. So far as the latter part of the noble Lord's question is concerned, if there is a proposed decrease in the case of the cargo aircraft I am sure both he and I will be pleased.
§ LORD TREFGARNEMy Lords, is the noble Lord aware that the suggestion that the total landing charge at overseas airports equals that at British airports by virtue of the extras that perhaps are charged is a common misconception? If he lands at foreign airports he will find he pays far less than at British airports.
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, if, for example, I tried to land a Comet at Heathrow I should find that the total cost, including navigational costs, passage service and the increase to which the noble Lord has referred, would come to £143 2s. 6d. If I tried to land the same aircraft at Paris the landing fee would be only £48 18s.; but the other charges, including passenger service charge and the lighting charge, would bring the total up to £167 18s. This, I should have thought, was not a misconception.
§ LORD TREFGARNEMy Lords, what the noble Lord says is no doubt true. But the ancillary charges that he suggests, so far as I am aware—and it may be his experience also—are purely optional extras. For instance, the lighting charge—
§ THE LORD PRIVY SEAL (LORD SHACKLETON)My Lords, would the noble Lord give way? If he wishes to ask a Question, he can, but he ought not to debate the reply of my noble friend.
§ LORD TREFGARNEMy Lords, I stand corrected.