§ LORD TREFGARNE had given Notice of his intention to ask Her Majesty's Government:
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ (i) How many air traffic movements are expected at Stansted Airport during the coming summer; (ii) What radar equipment will be available for use there during the same period.]
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, it is estimated that there will be about 32,000 air movements—that is, landings and take-offs—at Stansted Airport between April 1, and October 31 this year, of which 4,700 will be of public transport aircraft. The air traffic situation in the airspace around the airport, which is used mostly for training, has not so far been considered to warrant provision of radar control, and no radar equipment will be available for use there this summer.
EARL ST. ALDWYNMy Lords, on a point of order, I should like to ask the noble Lord the Leader of the House whether it is a new procedure that Questions are answered before they are asked.
§ LORD SHACKLETONMy Lords, my noble friend Lord Beswick is eager and enthusiastic at all times to inform the House. Perhaps he thought that the noble Lord, Lord Trefgarne, had asked the Question on Stansted Airport but that he had not heard him. But it was rather unusual.
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, if it be a sin to give information when it is not asked for, then I have committed that sin and I apologise. The voice of the noble Lord, Lord Trefgarne, on aviation matters rings out so regularly in my ears that I thought that I heard it when he was not here.