§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Trade on what basis he approved increases in charges for navigation services between 51 per cent. and 82 per cent. at regional airports as against some 5 per cent. at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted; and if he will make a statement on how these charges fit into the Government's policy of dispersal of air traffic from the South-East and of encouraging the greater use of regional airports.
§ Mr. Clinton Davis:The deficits on aerodrome navigation services provided by the Civil Aviation Authority are incurred mainly at the regional airports. It was for this reason that I approved recent increases in the authority's charges at the regional airports at a higher rate than at the three London airports. This was the first increase at most of the regional airports since 1969, whereas charges at the London airports and Prestwick were increased by 50 per cent. last year. The Government are examining ways of encouraging traffic to regional airports following abandonment of the Maplin project, and the financial position of the airports is one of the matters we shall be considering. Meanwhile, even if airlines were to pass on the whole of the extra charge at regional airports directly to the passenger, it has been estimated that it would cost about 50p on international and 20p on domestic flights. The increases are not, therefore, expected to have any inhibiting effect on the volume of traffic using the regional airports.