§ Mr. Leslie Huckfieldasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) when Linesman Mediator will be operating; and whether he will make a statement;
(2) whether he will make a further statement on the progress made in his Department on the development and installation of the Linesman Mediator system of air traffic control.
§ Mr. NobleDevelopment of the air traffic control system under the Mediator project will be implemented in stages. The first stage, in which control of traffic in the airways in Southern England will be integrated and concentrated in the new London Air Traffic Control Centre 341W at West Drayton, is now installed and will come into operation next month. Improved radar and display facilities are being introduced at the same time.
The Mediator project, when completed, will be an integrated civil and military system of control of all air traffic flying en-route over this country. It will consist, on the one hand, of a network of radars to track and identify aircraft and on the other hand, of systems of computers processing the information on aircraft movements and intentions which the control task requires. Linesman is a related air defence project, regarding 342W which I would refer the hon. Member to the reply being given to him today by the Under-Secretary of State (R.A.F.)