Airport Expansion

Lord Grayling Excerpts

Tuesday 11th November 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Pidgeon (LD)]

My Lords—

[Lord Grayling (Con)]

My Lords—

[Lord Swire (Con)]

My Lords—

--- Later in debate ---

[Baroness Boycott (CB)]

My Lords—

[Lord Grayling (Con)]

My Lords—

--- Later in debate ---

[Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill (Lab)]

Well, what can I say to my noble friend, who not only asks this question but gives all the answers as well? I think that will do.

[Lord Grayling (Con)]

My Lords, the Government are absolutely right to be pressing ahead with the expansion of Heathrow Airport; it is long overdue. The Sustainable Aviation Fuel Bill will, I hope, answer some of the questions about the environmental impacts.

However, I am concerned about the debate between a short runway and a long runway. Whatever the outcome in the medium term, may I seek assurance from the Minister that we will at least still go ahead with the DCO for the full plan? If we do not, we are going to end up short-changing ourselves again. In the end, Heathrow needs to expand, and it needs to expand properly. Please ensure that that is what happens.

[Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill (Lab)]

I thank the noble Lord for that. That is a premature request, because he will know—and maybe the rest of the House does as well—that the two schemes being taken forward are different, and the length of the runway proposed is different. A decision such as the one he suggests ought to be taken as we go forward with one of the two schemes.