Asked by: Tania Mathias (Conservative - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the proposed six and a half hour ban on night flights to and from Heathrow Airport will be given legal force.
Answered by John Hayes
The Government requires that a legally binding ban on night flights of six and a half hours at an expanded Heathrow. Consideration of any ban will also be subject to the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s Balanced Approach to noise management, including specific consultation with local communities and other interested parties.
Asked by: Tania Mathias (Conservative - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much financial support the Government will contribute towards the cost of surface access to Heathrow Airport in the event that a new third runway goes ahead.
Answered by John Hayes
The Government has been clear that the promoter, Heathrow Airport Limited, will meet the costs of the surface access improvements necessary to allow expansion of the airport.
The Government’s 2013 Aviation Policy Framework makes clear that developers will pay the costs of upgrading or enhancing road, rail or other transport networks or services where there is a need to cope with additional passengers travelling to and from expanded or growing airports. Where the scheme has a wider range of beneficiaries, and are not specific to the addition of a new runway, the Government will consider, along with other relevant stakeholders, the need for public funding on a case-by-case basis.
Asked by: Tania Mathias (Conservative - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what mechanisms the Government will use to guarantee that an expanded Heathrow Airport reserves a set percentage of its slots for flights to other UK airports.
Answered by John Hayes
The Government is committed to ensuring that expansion at Heathrow will not only protect existing routes, but also provides additional connectivity across the UK, with new routes from Scotland, Northern Ireland as well as the South West and North East of England. We are currently preparing a draft National Policy Statement, which will be published in the new year.
Asked by: Tania Mathias (Conservative - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential benefits of making the wearing of cycle helmets compulsory for cyclists on UK roads.
Answered by Andrew Jones
Government policy is that cycle helmets offer a degree of protection for cyclists in the event of a fall from a bicycle and some types of collisions. This is in line with the Highway Code rule 59 which states “you should wear a cycle helmet which conforms to current regulations, is the correct size and securely fastened”
We encourage the use of helmets by all cyclists and in particular by children.
However, people and parents are free to choose whether to follow this advice and we have no plans to legislate to introduce a mandatory requirement for the wearing of cycle helmets.
Asked by: Tania Mathias (Conservative - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, in which month he plans to make an announcement on airport expansion.
Answered by John Hayes
The Government remains fully committed to delivering the important infrastructure projects it has set out, including delivering runway capacity on the timetable set out by Sir Howard Davies.
The Government will carefully consider all the evidence before reaching a view on its preferred scheme.
Asked by: Tania Mathias (Conservative - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what he plans the timescale to be for the planned public consultation after the Government has made its decision on airport expansion.
Answered by John Hayes
The Government will take a view on the timing of a public consultation once it has reached a decision on its preferred scheme.
Asked by: Tania Mathias (Conservative - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many long-haul business passengers terminated at Heathrow Airport in 2011; and what proportion of those passengers were (a) UK residents and (b) foreign visitors.
Answered by John Hayes
In 2011, around 5 million long-haul business passengers terminated at Heathrow. Of these passengers, 53% were UK residents and 47% were foreign visitors.
This estimate includes arrivals and departures at Heathrow but excludes transfer passengers.