HL Deb 29 October 1970 vol 312 cc190-2
LORD KILMANY

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, as a result of further examination of the situation at Turnhouse Airport, it is now possible to make a more optimistic forecast when the summer of 1974 as the date by which construction of a second runway will be completed.]

LORD DENHAM

My Lords, the earliest date by which the new runway could be completed remains the summer of 1974. As I told the noble Lord in answer to his Question on July 16, the proposals for the development of Turn-house are subject to planning permission and land purchase, and it is important that there should be adequate local consultations.

LORD KILMANY

My Lords, while thanking my noble friend, may I ask whether he is aware that it is difficult to be other than disappointed at that reply? Whatever may be said about the delays of planning permission, it would be mistaken to override them. But where there is a will there is a way, and I hope that the Government will have a will and show it in this matter.

LORD DENHAM

My Lords, we are very much aware of my noble friend's concern and interest in this matter and I assure him that no unnecessary delays will be allowed.

THE EARL OF DUNDEE

My Lords, can my noble friend say who exactly controls this airport: is it the Airports Authority or is it Edinburgh Town Council? To whom will the Government make representations?

LORD DENHAM

My Lords, negotiations went on for a long time with Edinburgh Corporation and it was not possible to reach a satisfactory financial agreement with them for the Corporation to take over the airport. Negotiations are now going on between the Department of Trade and Industry and the Airports Authority, and have been for some time, and it is hoped that the transfer to the Airports Authority will be finalised by April 1 of next year.

THE EARL OF DUNDEE

My Lords, will that accelerate the matter?

LORD DENHAM

I am afraid, my Lords, that that has been taken into account in the answers that I have already given.

LORD HOY

My Lords, may I ask the noble Lord whether there is any technical reason why the work is not being done? If delay is taking place at the present time, is the noble Lord able to say who is responsible?

LORD DENHAM

My Lords, there are really three phases before the new runway can be completed. First of all there is the transfer to the British Airports Authority, which I have already mentioned. Secondly, planning permission has to be obtained; there must be consultation with local interests, and there has to be the purchase of land. The third phase is the actual building of the runway, which according to my information cannot be done very quickly. It is between these three phases that the estimate has been arrived at for the summer of 1974.

LORD FERRIER

My Lords, as the planning of the terminal building is part of the whole conception, would not the noble Lord agree that the ultimate planning of such a building is subsidiary to the construction of the main runway, and that the consideration of the building it-self should not stand in the way of progress in getting on with what Edinburgh really needs, which is a second runway?

LORD DENHAM

My Lords, I would agree, and that is in fact the position.

Forward to