HC Deb 24 January 1967 vol 739 cc237-9W
Sir G. Sinclair

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps, apart from the process of certification of aircraft, he proposes to take to exploit other possible approaches to the reduction of aircraft noise.

Mr. J. P. W. Mallalieu

I shall continue to search for further practicable means of reducing aircraft noise, taking account of the various conclusions reached at the recent International Conference on this subject, but I have no specific new measures to announce at the present time.

Sir G. Sinclair

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will take steps by legislation or otherwise to estblish in Great Britain a single authority, at least at airport level, with overall authority for controlling excessive noise, and to provide that this shall be the British Airports Authority.

Mr. J. P. W. Mallalieu

I already have general responsibilities in connection with the noise of civil aircraft operations in the United Kingdom, and specific statutory powers by virtue of Sections 14 and 15 of the Airports Authority Act, 1965. I shall keep under review the practical effectiveness of these statutory powers, and the ways in which they are used, but at present I see no need for substantial changes.

Sir G. Sinclair

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he proposes to take to secure the certification, including the specification of appropriate operating procedures of new subsonic aircraft, supersonic aircraft, and existing aircraft, respectively, to ensure that these conform to improved noise standards.

Mr. J. P. W. Mallalieu

I hope to make a further statement about noise certification of aircraft in the near future.

Sir G. Sinclair

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) whether he proposes to put forward definite proposals for an international standard predictor to the Fifth Navigational Conference of the International Civil Aviation Organisation, to be held in the autumn of 1967;

(2) following the recent international conference, what steps he proposes to take to secure an international standard predictor of noisiness as a primary requirement for the establishment of an aircraft noise certification scheme.

Mr. J. P. W. Mallalieu

We shall certainly play a full part in the discussions on this matter at the 5th Navigational Conference of I.C.A.O. but progress in methods of noise measurement is already adequate to permit a scheme of noise certification to be introduced, although improvements in these methods are possible and probably will be made.