§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Prime Minister (1) if, in view of the policies publicly stated by the Secretary of State for Transport regarding plans for a third London airport, he will have any role in determining quasi-judicially the Government's decision on the inspector's report on the Stansted inquiry;
(2) whether the speech by the Secretary of State for Transport, given in Manchester on Friday 7 December, regarding plans for a third London airport, represents Government policy.
§ The Prime MinisterMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport explained in his speech to the Manchester Central Conservative Association on 7 December that the Government's policy is to encourage the maximum use of regional airports where this can be justified by demand. It is not part of this policy to force traffic to the regions by constraining capacity in the southeast. The speech in no way prejudices his quasi-judicial role in determining the Stansted applications, which will be decided by him and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.