HL Deb 24 October 1968 vol 296 cc1539-41

3.12 p.m.

EARL AMHERST

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 have any information about a recent report in a national newspaper to the effect that the Americans may be seeking regulations to ban the flying of the Concorde aircraft to and from and over the United States on account of alleged noise, both in the air and on the ground, and to keep the ban in force until the Boeing project can become competitive with the Concorde.]

LORD BESWICK

My Lords, it would appear that the report referred to draft Aircraft Noise Regulations which the American authorities are expected to announce shortly as a result of discussions between France, the United States and the United Kingdom, following the London Noise Conference of 1966. These draft regulations will apply only to future subsonic aircraft. The question of supersonic aircraft will have to be considered in due course, but this cannot be done until the necessary technical data are available.

EARL AMHERST

My Lords, while thanking the noble Lord for his Answer, may I ask if any representation in this matter has been made by the authorities at Kennedy Airport?

LORD BESWICK

Yes, my Lords, Kennedy Airport is one of the airports which has noise regulations, and of course they, like other authorities, are interested in this problem. They have asked B.A.C. and Sad Aviation for data, and those two companies have replied that they will be happy to give all available data and to collaborate with flight development when that starts.

EARL AMHERST

My Lords, while again thanking the noble Lord for his reply, I would ask whether, if any ban is eventually imposed, we shall have full notice of it and whether Her Majesty's Government will take steps, either unilaterally or in conjunction with the French, to counteract it.

LORD BESWICK

My Lords, I hope that there will be no question of any unilateral ban on this aircraft or any other aircraft. I hope it will always be a matter for international discussion.

BARONESS WOOTTON OF ABINGER

My Lords, is there not a very simple answer? That is that if such regulations are made in the United States—as I, for one, greatly hope they will be—we should make similar regulations in this country applying both to the Concorde and the Boeing jet project, to the great advantage of the people of both countries.

LORD BESWICK

My Lords, I understand that there is another point of view which suggests that mankind would be happier if we returned to the horse-and-buggy era; but I am not sure that that is a majority point of view.

LORD WIGG

My Lords, as a recent comer to this House I wonder whether I could be informed if it is considered the responsibility of Her Majesty's Government to answer for reports in American newspapers. Is it not a flimsy basis on which to frame a Question to worry your Lordships?

LORD BESWICK

My Lords, my noble friend, if I may call him that, sitting as he does in that part of the House, will probably learn, when he has been here a little longer, that we have a little wider latitude in this House in regard to Parliamentary Questions than they have elsewhere.