Clause 4 - Power for aerodromes to establish
Civil Aviation Bill
5:45 pm
Julian Brazier (Shadow Minister, Transport; Canterbury, Conservative)
I will be quite brief, not only because I listened carefully to what you just said, Sir Nicholas, but because that was always my intention. Essentially, these amendments mirror for clause 4 and the noise control schemes what the earlier amendments would have done for the penalty schemes under the earlier clauses. I will not waste any time on amendment No. 38. I accept the Minister's assurance that ''area'' includes the flight path as normally defined.
I am only speaking briefly to amendments Nos. 39 and 40, which call on the committee to produce accounts of any money spent under the schemes. There is not a great deal that can be said afresh about the amendments that has not be said during discussions on earlier points.
The Conservative party is not a great one for arguing for regulation. We oppose huge quantities of regulation—I last attended a debate on deregulation yesterday—but if money is being taken off people in this way, it is reasonable for accounts to be published showing how it is spent and reasonable that there should be some discussion. The airlines, too, feel that that is right. I shall introduce the following quote from the British Airways brief as my one further comment:
''Airlines have never challenged . . . fines . . . and also because the amounts involved have been declining as airlines have renewed their fleets . . . these powers could easily create a conflict of interests where an aerodrome or the Secretary of State sets a limit or increases a fine so as to create a fund for local projects without cost to themselves.''
BA then calls for governance arrangements.
I can only repeat that we voted on amendment No. 7. I must warn the Minister that I am minded not to withdraw amendment No. 39. It is reasonable that where an aerodrome is establishing a noise control scheme, it should consult as to how any moneys are spent and publish some accounts. That is no more burdensome than the task of a parish council; indeed, it is probably less so.