Closing remarks

One of the advantages of being Chairman is that one is able to have the last word! At a far ranging world airports conference such as this, I think Sir Peter Masefield has given too much prominence in his summing up, to his well known personal views on the decision to put London's third airport at Maplin. When the Minister for Aerospace and Shipping opened this Conference, he made it perfectly clear that the decision had been made and that it was the Government's firm intention to implement it.

Sir Peter quoted Sir Winston Churchill in support of his arguments that Maplin is a wrong decision. I would like to recall Sir Winston's attitude in another context. When the heads of state met during the war to take vital decisions affecting its conduct, Sir Winston was a vigorous arguer and persuader to get his own point of view accepted. He did not always succeed, but once the decision was made, even if it was not to his liking, he bent himself to its execution with all his might. That is what we should do in the case of Maplin.