§ 3.4 p.m.
§ BARONESS YOUNGMy 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 when they intend to publish their review of the Maplin project.
§ THE MINISTER OF STATE, DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRY (LORD BESWICK)My Lords, as I announced on March 21, it is intended to make a further Statement on the Maplin airport project before the Summer Recess. It is hoped to make available at that time the revised forecasts and other relevant information on which the Statement will be based.
§ BARONESS YOUNGMy Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Beswick, for that reply. May I ask him this further question? If, as a result of this further review, the Government decide to abandon the Maplin project, will they then not proceed with the further report to Parliament, as required by the Maplin Development Act?
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, if the Government decide that the Maplin project is not required then the provisions of Section 2, to which I understand the noble Baroness is referring, will not apply.
§ LORD WINDLESHAMMy Lords, is it not right to assert that if the law says that certain action should be taken it is not open to the Government to say that it is no longer necessary?
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, if the noble Lord will refer to the Act, he will find that Section 2 makes provision for an Order, so that in the event of an Order being made certain authorities must be consulted. If no Order is required, the law does not require those authorities to be consulted.
§ LORD WINDLESHAMYes, my Lords, but the noble Lord has been very closely associated with this subject for a long period of time and no doubt remembers the debates that took place in this House. Is he telling us now that if as a result of the review made—a different review—the Government decide not to proceed, there will then be no further discussion? The important question of a seaport arises, for example.
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, as the noble Lord says, I did take part in these discussions and I pressed for, and reluctantly noble Lords opposite gave way 1323 and made provision for, certain consultations to take place. That was on the basis of a certain Order being made. If the Order is not made then the provisions of the Act do not apply. But of course if we go on to make alternative arrangements then the necessary consultations with the authorities concerned will take place—though not under the provisions of this Act.
§ LORD WINDLESHAMMy Lords, I am pleased that we have extracted that statement of policy from the noble Lord. He has now said that the necessary consultations will be held, though he seems to attach some importance to the fact that they will not have to be held under the aegis of the previous legislation.
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, what I have done is to answer the Question put to me. If the noble Lord will refer to what I said earlier, I made it quite clear that if alternative arrangements are needed there will be consultations in those areas affected by those alternative arrangements.
§ BARONESS YOUNGMy Lords, as the review does not cover environmental grounds at all but, as I understood the noble Lord to say, is simply concerned with aircraft traffic and movement, will the decision about Maplin be based exclusively on that and not on any environmental considerations at all?
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, the noble Baroness is absolutely right. The review now taking place is concerned with aviation matters; but of course if nothing is done at Maplin the environment will not be affected.
§ LORD NUGENT OF GUILDFORDMy Lords, is the noble Lord aware that there are very far-reaching planning implications in this decision? Is he further aware that his right honourable colleagues in another place are indeed consulting planning authorities? Is he also aware that the planning implications of this decision may have a very big effect indeed on the South-East?
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, nothing that the noble Lord has said is contrary to what I am saying. If there is no work done at Maplin there will be no planning arrangements; but if no work at Maplin 1324 means that other things have to be done elsewhere, then when it is decided where those things shall be done the appropriate authorities will of course have to be consulted.
§ LORD REIGATEMy Lords, would the noble Lord confirm that whatever may be the decision on Maplin, there is no question of a second runway at Gatwick in the foreseeable future?
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, if the noble Lord includes, as he has, the phrase, "in the conceivable future" I would agree with him. The fact is that runway capacity is not now a worry at all. This is a point I tried to make during our other discussions.