Asked by: Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the total financial liability to the Government of the construction of a third runway at Heathrow.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government is clear that the construction of the Northwest Runway at Heathrow will be financed entirely by the private sector. There is no financial liability to Government and no agreement with HAL that gives rise to a right to claim for damages, losses, liabilities, costs and/or expenses or any other relief.
The Government is also absolutely clear as to its responsibilities to Parliament when a liability or, indeed, a contingent liability is incurred. On 5 June, the Government laid before Parliament a Written Ministerial Statement and Departmental Minute that set out a contingent liability for statutory blight which will be incurred if the proposed Airports NPS is designated. The liability is contingent because the Government has rightly protected the tax payer by entering into a binding agreement with Heathrow Airport Limited whereby the airport assumes the financial liability for successful blight claims, if the scheme proceeds.
Asked by: Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the appropriate level of subsidy required to support connections to regional airports from an expanded Heathrow Airport.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government is clear that the expansion at Heathrow is not only an opportunity to protect and strengthen existing routes but to secure new domestic routes to the benefit of passengers and business across the UK. The Government expects that the majority of these routes will be viable commercially, as many are today, with support from Heathrow Airport. This support includes discounted charges for domestic passengers, and a £10 million Route Connectivity Fund.
The Government will also take action, where appropriate, to secure routes through the use of Public Service Obligations (PSOs). PSOs provide the opportunity to offer exclusive rights to airlines to operate a route. Where this does not deliver the required level of connectivity, the Government may also offer subsidies to an airline to operate the route, which includes exemption from Air Passenger Duty.
The Government’s approach to domestic connectivity will be set out in a Green Paper on the Aviation Strategy towards the end of this year, and the extent to which subsidies will be required can only be determined subject to market conditions nearer to the time of new capacity becoming operational.
Asked by: Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with HM Treasury on the size of the financial contribution required by Government to support rail access schemes into an expanded Heathrow Airport.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Secretary of State has regular discussions on a variety of matters with HM Treasury.
In line with the 2013 Aviation Policy Framework, and the proposed Airports National Policy Statement, where a surface transport scheme is not solely required to deliver airport capacity and has a wider range of beneficiaries, the Government, along with relevant stakeholders, will consider the need for a public funding contribution alongside an appropriate contribution from the airport on a case by case basis.
Asked by: Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many slots will be guaranteed for connections to regional airports in the UK as a result of the expansion of Heathrow airport.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Secretary of State has a clear ambition for about 15 Per cent of slots made available from a new runway to be used for domestic routes. We expect that the majority of these routes will be commercially viable with support from Heathrow Airport Limited.
Government will also take action, where appropriate, to secure routes through the use of Public Service Obligations. This will include ring fencing appropriately timed slots. Further detail on the Government’s targets and commitments on domestic connectivity will be detailed in a Green Paper on the Aviation Strategy which will be published towards the end of 2018.
Asked by: Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the total liability to the public purse is of the proposal to expand Heathrow Airport.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government is clear that the construction of the Northwest Runway at Heathrow will be financed entirely by the private sector. There is no financial liability to Government and no agreement with HAL that gives rise to a right to claim for damages, losses, liabilities, costs and/or expenses or any other relief.
The Government is also absolutely clear as to its responsibilities to Parliament when a liability or, indeed, a contingent liability is incurred. On 5 June, the Government laid before Parliament a Written Ministerial Statement and Departmental Minute that set out a contingent liability for statutory blight which will be incurred if the proposed Airports NPS is designated. The liability is contingent because the Government has rightly protected the tax payer by entering into a binding agreement with Heathrow Airport Limited whereby the airport assumes the financial liability for successful blight claims, if the scheme proceeds.
Asked by: Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment his Department has made of the effect on air quality of the construction of a third runway at Heathrow Airport.
Answered by John Hayes
The Government believes that the Heathrow Northwest Runway scheme can be delivered without impacting on the UK’s compliance with air quality limit values, given the measures set out in the Government’s air quality plan, and with a suitable package of mitigation measures taken forward by the promoter.
Should the revised draft Airports National Policy Statement be designated, then it would be for the promoter to undertake a detailed assessment of the air quality impacts of the scheme, including during construction, and put forward to the Planning Inspectorate an appropriate package of mitigations that address air quality impacts and demonstrate compliance with air quality obligations.
In order to grant development consent, the Secretary of State would need to be satisfied that, with mitigation, the scheme would be compliant with legal obligations.
Asked by: Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the measures required to keep aviation CO2 emissions to 37.5MegaTonnes in line with the modelling in the 4th and 5th carbon budgets.
Answered by John Hayes
The Government remains open to considering all feasible measures to ensure that the aviation sector contributes fairly to UK emissions reductions, and is committed to meeting its emissions reduction targets under the Climate Change Act.
There are a range of measures available to reduce carbon emissions from aviation, including biofuels, airspace reform and improvements in technology.
As mentioned in the Clean Growth Strategy, the Government will set out its strategic approach to the aviation sector in a series of consultations leading to the publication of a new Aviation Strategy for the UK.
The Strategy will consider what the best approach and combination of policy measures are to ensure we effectively address carbon emissions from aviation.
Asked by: Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proposals he plans to put in place to mitigate the negative air quality effects of a third runway at Heathrow.
Answered by John Hayes
Should the revised draft Airports National Policy Statement be designated, then it would be for the promoter to undertake a detailed assessment of the air quality impacts of the scheme and put forward to the Planning Inspectorate an appropriate package of mitigations that address air quality impacts and demonstrate compliance with air quality obligations.
The precise package of mitigation measures would be subject to consultation with local communities to ensure that the most effective measures are taken forward.
Furthermore, in order to grant development consent, the Secretary of State would need to be satisfied that, with mitigation, the scheme would be compliant with legal obligations.
Asked by: Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which measures in addition to those set out in the Clean Growth Strategy will be required to keep aviation emissions to 37.5 MegaTonnes.
Answered by John Hayes
The Government remains open to considering all feasible measures to ensure that the aviation sector contributes fairly to UK emissions reductions, and is committed to meeting its emissions reduction targets under the Climate Change Act.
There are a range of measures available to reduce carbon emissions from aviation, including biofuels, airspace reform and improvements in technology.
As mentioned in the Clean Growth Strategy, the Government will set out its strategic approach to the aviation sector in a series of consultations leading to the publication of a new Aviation Strategy for the UK.
The Strategy will consider what the best approach and combination of policy measures are to ensure we effectively address carbon emissions from aviation.
Asked by: Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the feasibility of imposing an eight hour night flight ban at Heathrow Airport; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by John Hayes
Following consultation, in October 2017, the Government implemented a new five-year night flight regime at Heathrow, which will end in October 2022. This regime limits the number of scheduled movements to an average of sixteen per night for a six and a half hour night period.
The revised draft Airports National Policy Statement (NPS) sets out the Government’s expectation for a six and a half hour ban on scheduled night flights at an expanded Heathrow. Should the revised draft Airports NPS be designated, consideration of any ban, including timings, would be subject to the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s Balanced Approach to noise management, including consultation with local communities and other interested parties.