Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made an estimate of the Co2 emissions resulting from the construction of a third runway at Heathrow.

The Government has considered the carbon effects of the construction and operation of an expanded Heathrow and agrees with the Airports Commission’s assessment that the Heathrow Northwest Runway scheme can be delivered within the UK’s climate change commitments.

Heathrow Airport Limited has committed to a package of measures including introducing an airside ultra-low emissions zone by 2025 before the operation of any new runway. They have also committed to using low-carbon and locally-sourced materials in construction, and using sustainable transport methods for materials and public transport for construction workers.

The Appraisal of Sustainability (AoS) that accompanies the proposed Airports National Policy Statement (NPS) provides a strategic level assessment of the potential social, economic, and environmental effects of expansion, including on carbon emissions. The AoS has been published on the DfT’s website and the relevant information can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/appraisal-of-sustainability-for-the-proposed-airports-national-policy-statement