HC Deb 21 October 1982 vol 29 c170W
Mr. Alfred Morris

asked the Minister for Trade if he will take steps to obtain information about how much the British Airports Authority has so far spent on publicising its opposition to the North of England regional consortium's case to the Stansted airport inquiry ; if he is satisfied with the propriety of such expenditure by a public body while the inquiry is proceeding; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Sproat

[pursuant to his reply, 18 October 1982, c. 3]: I regret that many parties to the Stansted inquiry, and their supporters, engage in a parallel debate outside the inquiry itself. In those circumstances I think it is not unreasonable for the planning applicants, the British Airports Authority to do the same. The cost of its reply to the NOERC case is not separately identifiable. The Government's decision on the application will be taken on the basis of the inspector's report on the evidence actually given at the public inquiry.