HL Deb 18 October 1990 vol 522 cc1029-31

Baroness Burton of Coventry asked Her Majesty's Government:

What progress has been made in the establishment of a working group to explore issues involved in decision making on additional runway capacity in the South East as announced by the Secretary of State on the day the Civil Aviation Authority presented its advice to Her Majesty's Government.

The Minister of State, Department of Transport (Lord Brabazon of Tara)

My Lords, we have been making progress during the Recess towards determining membership and terms of reference for the group. My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Transport expects to be able to make a further announcement soon.

Baroness Burton of Coventry

My Lords, does the Minister realise that a widespread belief exists that this group was announced so that the Government would not have to take any decision on the matter before a general election? Therefore the delay of about 12 weeks in naming the personnel does not greatly matter. Can the Minister inform the House whether I am correct in thinking that when the original announcement was made of the groups to be consulted no mention of the consumer was made? I shall be grateful if the Minister can answer my question today, but if not perhaps he will write to me. Can the Minister tell the House the names of the groups which are being consulted?

Lord Brabazon of Tara

My Lords, this is an important matter. Great care is required in finding the right membership for the group. We envisage that about 20 organisations from both within and outside government will be represented on the group. We have had representations from considerably more organisations than that which feel that they should be represented. It is important that consumers should be represented on the group. The final list of those to be represented will be available, as I have said, fairly shortly.

Lord Jenkins of Putney

My Lords, is the Minister not aware that the majority of people in the South East believe that we need additional runway capacity as much as we need a hole in the head? I ask him to bear that group of people in mind. Can the Minister tell me whether representatives of the groups opposed to additional runways as well as those in favour of them will be in the group?

Lord Brabazon of Tara

My Lords, there will be those who are opposed to additional runways and who will wish to make their views known. I am not sure how many people are opposed to an additional runway in the South East; I know that a great number do not want an additional runway in their own back yard.

Lord Underhill

My Lords, does the Minister appreciate that I am one of those who is awaiting the report of this working group with great interest? We are not committing ourselves one way or the other to the CAA's advice. Does he further appreciate that I fully concur with the Secretary of State's statement that he is aware of the effect of airport development on the environment, employment and local infrastructure. Also taken into consideration will be the possible importance of regional airports. Therefore, the work of the working group is of great importance. I also concur with what the noble Baroness, Lady Burton, said about an early decision.

Lord Brabazon of Tara

My Lords, the noble Lord is quite right in saying that the CAA's advice was mainly concerned with air space capacity. It produced a number of alternative sites for a possible new airport. The group will be looking in particular at environmental and surface access considerations which need to be taken into account. My right honourable friend the Secretary of State said in his announcement that we very much see the value of the regional airports. He also said: I shall be asking the working group to assess this conclusion most carefully and to gauge the extent to which regional airports can play a part in meeting the overall growth in demand into the next century".

The Earl of Selkirk

My Lords, can my noble friend say whether this working group is concerned solely with the South East? Does it also recognise the value and importance of airports throughout the whole length of these islands?

Lord Brabazon of Tara

My Lords, the group is mainly concerned with the South East. That is where a shortfall in capacity is expected in the next century. As I just said in reply to the noble Lord, Lord Underhill, it will take into account what can be offered by regional airports.

Lord Whaddon

My Lords, will the noble Lord bear in mind the importance of including a representative from the general aviation community in the working group? Whether its machines are allowed to use this runway or not, the positioning and approaches to the runway will have a profound effect on general aviation machines.

Lord Brabazon of Tara

My Lords. I am aware of the importance of general aviation in this matter. I cannot yet say whether it will be represented on the group. If it is not, it will certainly have the opportunity to make its views clear.

Baroness Burton of Coventry

My Lords, I am not a candidate, but I am interested in the consumer aspect of this matter. Is the noble Lord aware that I believe the original statement contained no reference to consumer groups? Will he let me know which groups are to be consulted? Will he write to me with the answer or, alternatively, publish it in the Official Report so that the House may know the outcome?

Lord Brabazon of Tara

My Lords, in my right honourable friend's original statement he made reference to representatives from bodies representing local and environmental interests, from airport and airline operators, from the tourism and travel industry and from government departments. I shall of course take into account, as I have already said, the interests of the consumer.

Baroness Burton of Coventry

My Lords, surely air travellers are consumers. Does the Minister not agree that they should have been mentioned with reference to the group? That is the point I am making.

Lord Brabazon of Tara

My Lords, that is the point I have answered.

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