§ Mr. Haselhurstasked the Secretary of State for Transport how many times since holding his present office he has attended functions or meetings with the chairman of the British Airports Authority when Mr. Payne has made statements relevant to the determination of airports policy in the south-east.
§ Mr. Ridley[pursuant to his reply, 21 June 1984]: I have attended a number of meetings and functions at which the chairman of the British Airports Authority has made statements relevant to airports policy in the southeast. The authority has, of course, submitted. at the request of the Government, a planning application for the development of Stansted, the inspector's report on which is awaited. I need hardly say that, given my role in the decisions to be taken on that report, I have at no time discussed with the chairman the merits of the authority's application.