---

Civil Aviation Bill

My Lords, I never thought that I would accuse an opposition spokesman of being more farsighted than myself, but here we have the clearest evidence that we already know the result of a particular election. We wonder why one candidate does not pack his bags and go home at this point if it has already been decided in the inner councils of the Conservative Party that that should be the result. On the more general point, I assure the noble Lord that, unless he wants to limit expansion significantly, his argument that you put more pressure on a single runway is either a limiting factor or not. If it is not a limiting factor there is no gain so far as the environment is concerned. If it is a limiting factor he has to give some illustration of how he wants to limit demand in those terms. We are concerned to meet areas of demand consonant with making sure that the effects on those who live near airports are minimised. That is why—I was going on to my constructive point—