§ 2.50 p.m.
§ LORD ORR-EWINGMy Lords, I bee 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 give financial support to encourage British airlines to fit "hush kits" to civil aircraft so as to speed up the reduction of noise for those living near busy civil airports.
§ THE MINISTER WITHOUT PORTFOLIO (LORD DRUMALBYN)My Lords, no requests have been received from British airlines for this purpose.
§ LORD ORR-EWINGMy Lords, will my noble friend agree that, irrespective of whether or not Maplin proceeds, there are millions of people living around busy international airports in this country who will have to put up not just with present-day noise but with increased noise, because of the increased number of flights? Therefore is it not desirable, in the interests of the environment, that the Government should perhaps take an initia- 634 tive? Because no action will be taken by the airlines without some initiative, and no one will spend money voluntarily on quietening their aircraft, unless some action is taken. Will the Government therefore initiate a conference of all those who are interested—the Civil Aviation Authority, the British Airways Board, the British Airports Authority and the manufacturers of aircraft—in order to see whether some action can be taken, which will at least ameliorate the noise around these very busy airports?
§ LORD DRUMALBYNMy Lords, I am most interested in my noble friend's suggestion. It may well be that the range of people to be invited to the conference should be wider still, because, after all, this is essentially an international matter. At the same time, of course, it will be some time before the British airlines are in a position to fit "hush kits". I am told that the manufacturers and the British Airways Board are making studies at the present time, but no early outcome can be expected. However, it may well be that it would be a good idea to get together to see what will happen when the "hush kits" are available.
§ LORD HARVEY OF PRESTBURYMy Lords, will my noble friend say what state of efficiency these "hush kits" have reached? Also, does he not agree that it would be an incentive to airlines if they were allowed to land at night at Heathrow or elsewhere if such a kit were fitted? Finally, may I ask whether any research is being carried out at Farnborough or at any other Government establishment?
§ LORD DRUMALBYNMy Lords, in answer to the last question, research is being carried out by the National Gas Turbines Establishment near Farnborough, and also by Rolls-Royce. So far as the first part of the question is concerned, I think it is premature to consider exactly what should be done in this case until the "hush kits" are available.
§ THE EARL OF ONSLOWMy Lords, what is to happen in the event of a foreign airport saying that no Speyengined aircraft can land until they are fitted with "hush kits"? Also, will the Minister confirm whether or not these 635 "hush kits" could be fitted within two years with the injection of £20 million or so of Government money?
§ LORD DRUMALBYNMy Lords, I am afraid that I am not in a position to confirm the second question which the noble Lord has asked. I think it was estimated that it would cost about £20 million, or perhaps a little more, to fit "hush kits" to British-made aeroplanes in service in this country, but I am afraid that I cannot go further than that.
§ LORD ORR-EWINGMy Lords, am I correct in understanding that my noble friend took on board my point that he might initiate a conference in order to bring about some progress in this area? This Government, and successive Governments, have shown that they are interested in the environment, and are spending large sums of money on cleaning rivers and on getting purer sewage. Noise is just as detrimental to the wellbeing of our environment as dirt, so should not some action be taken now?
§ LORD DRUMALBYNMy Lords, I should not like my noble friend to think—I am sure he does not think—that no action is being taken. We are taking action, particularly with the restrictions on night arrivals and take-offs, and these are being progressively applied. What I said was that I thought my noble friend's suggestion was a most interesting one, and I shall most certainly convey it to my right honourable friend the Minister for Aerospace.
§ THE EARL OF ONSLOWMy Lords, would the Minister like to comment on the progress made by Boeings in fitting "hush kits" to their aircraft?
§ LORD DRUMALBYNMy Lords, it is not really for me to comment on this point, but I am informed that Boeings intend to make "hush kits" available in about a year or so for their 707s, and that their 727s and 737s can now be ordered with built-in "hush kits".
§ BARONESS SUMMERSKILLMy Lords, may I ask the noble Lord whether any research has been made into the cost to the National Health Service of tranquillisers, particularly the notorious Valium and Librium, in these areas?
§ LORD DRUMALBYNMy Lords, I am afraid that that is not a question on which I informed myself arising out of the Question on the Order Paper, but I shall see whether an answer is available.
§ LORD SHACKLETONMy Lords, can the noble Lord tell us whether the Government are likely to publish some comprehensive statement on a very complicated matter, which ought not to be related only to "H.Ks", if I may so call them, and should cover the whole subject? Also, am I right in assuming that a great deal of work is being done by the Government? If so, it might be useful if at some time we had a full statement on the progress, informing us when some results are likely to be seen, even though it may be speculative.
§ LORD DRUMALBYNMy Lords, there are really two sides to this matter. First, there is the work which the Government are doing on research, or which they are assisting in doing; and, secondly, there is the work which the manufacturers themselves are doing. May I look into that question to see whether it is possible to combine them in a single statement?