HL Deb 12 December 1979 vol 403 cc1141-3

2.44 p.m.

Lord BOYD-CARPENTER

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 when they received the report of the public inquiry into the fourth terminal at Heathrow; what was the cost to public funds of holding this inquiry; what is recommended in the report; whether and when they will publish the report; and when they will announce the Government's decision on the fourth terminal.

Lord TREFGARNE

My Lords, may I apologise in advance to your Lordships for the fact that this Answer is a little longer than usual. The inspector's re- port was received on 18th May, 1979. It will be published at the same time as the Government's decision on the fourth terminal, which will be announced once my right honourable friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment and for Trade have finished their consideration of the report. Until then it would be inappropriate to state what the inspector has recommended. The identifiable cost of the inquiry to public funds was about £62,000, but this excludes the cost of the secretariat and other costs inextricably bound up with the normal work of the Department of the Environment. It also excludes the cost of printing the inspector's report which Her Majesty's Stationery Office hopes to recover from sales. The attempt to work out the precise cost would involve considerable time and expense.

Lord BOYD-CARPENTER

My Lords, in thanking my noble friend for that very comprehensive reply, may I ask him two questions? The first is whether, in view of the grave and deteriorating situation at Heathrow, he can explain why so long a time—seven months, if my mathematics are right—has elapsed since the report was received without any public action being taken on it? Secondly, in view of the urgency of the situation, can my noble friend now give any indication of the earliest date by which this terminal could be completed in order to help cope with the situation?

Lord TREFGARNE

My Lords, in answer to the first point put by my noble friend, as I have said, the decision is one that has to be taken jointly by my right honourable friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment and for Trade, and there are a number of important and difficult issues which have deserved, and have received, careful study. As for the point as to when the terminal could be finished, that depends of course on what my right honourable friends decide with regard to the inquiry which has just taken place; but if they agree to allow the terminal, it will be ready by about the middle of the 1980s.

Lord BOYD-CARPENTER

My Lords, can my noble friend confirm—as I believe he can from his own experience—that this is now a very urgent matter? Can he also indicate that seven months is not the normal time required to procure agreement among two of his right honourable friends?

Lord TREFGARNE

My Lords, the matters were very complicated and very involved. I wish that the decision could have been taken earlier, but, having seen all the papers on the matter, I am quite satisfied that my two right honourable friends have not been unduly long, and I think that I can assure my noble friend that he will not have to be patient for very much longer.

Baroness BURTON of COVENTRY

My Lords, while understanding that the Minister is not able to say in advance what the recommendations will be, and bearing in mind that, as he himself has just said, he has seen all the papers concerned, may I ask whether he would feel able to tell the House if the question of access is considered in the report, particularly for those people with luggage who are dependent on public transport?

Lord TREFGARNE

Yes, my Lords; the report is fully comprehensive. All the points to which the noble Baroness refers are considered and will be taken into consideration by my right honourable friends.

The Earl of KINNOULL

My Lords, can my noble friend advise us whether the British Airports Authority have power to have given themselves permission for a fourth terminal, without a public inquiry?

Lord TREFGARNE

No, my Lords.