Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, on what dates (a) Ministers and (b) officials of his Department have had meetings with Heathrow Airport Limited since June 2017; and if he will place a copy of the minutes of those meetings in the Library.

Ministers and officials have met regularly with Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL) since June 2017 to discuss a wide range of issues relating to the operation of the UK’s largest airport, as well as the potential delivery of its proposed expansion. These meetings are governed by propriety arrangements set out in the Statement of Approach, which is published online:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/653867/engaging-with-stakeholders-statement-of-approach-revised-draft-airports-nps.pdf

The minutes of such meetings include material relating to HAL’s private business operations. The release of this information would be likely to prejudice their commercial interests. Given that the amount of information in question is substantial, redacting and preparing the records for release would have a disproportionate cost.