§ 51. Mr. Hugh Jenkinsasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will now reduce the number of permitted night movements at London Airport, Heathrow, during the coming summer period from the present 3,500 to 3,000.
§ Mr. J. P. W. MallalieuNo. Such matters must be settled well in advance of the summer period which starts on 1st April to give the airlines time to plan their flight schedules. My right hon. Friend announced his decision last November to set the limit at 3,500 again this year, despite the much increased demand for night jet flights.
§ Mr. Hugh Jenkinsasked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in measuring aircraft noise under the glide path made by aircraft landing at London Airport, Heathrow, he will use the Noise 94W and Number Index adopted by the Wilson Report of 1963 or the newer Index of Community Nuisance, details of which have been sent to him; and if he will publish monthly reports of these measurements.
§ Mr. J. P. W. MallalieuNo. This suggestion is not practical but I am proposing to give the hon. Member sample measurements of the noise of landing aircraft in Perceived Noise Decibels.
§ Mr. Hugh Jenkinsasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the number of passengers using London Airport, Heathrow, has doubled since 1960; and if he will now limit the number of landings by day as well as by night.
§ Mr. J. P. W. MallalieuPassenger traffic has increased by 125 per cent. since 1960 but aircraft movements by only 55 per cent. I do not consider that it is practicable to add to the severe restrictions already imposed for noise reasons, including the limit on summer night jet operations, by also placing a limit on the volume of daytime jet traffic.