Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to make sure that the noise impacts of airports are appropriately assessed and action taken.

The Government sets noise-related restrictions at the noise-designated airports (Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted) and ensures these airports assess their noise impacts on an annual basis. For these designated airports, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) produces noise exposure contours. These inform Government of areas significantly affected by aircraft movements, and therefore those communities most likely to suffer aircraft noise-related health outcomes, which should be prioritised by policy interventions.

At other airports, restrictions are set locally, usually through the planning system. It is the responsibility of the local planning authority to conduct any necessary noise assessment and to enforce any restrictions.

Major airports with more than 50,000 movements per year are also obliged under the Environmental Noise Regulations 2006, as amended, to produce noise maps and Noise Action Plans. Current Noise Action Plans cover the period 2019-2023, while the next round of planning will cover the period 2024-2028.