Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of Heathrow Airport expansion on passenger charges under the existing economic regulatory model.

The Government has been clear that affordability is a key consideration for Heathrow expansion. The draft Heathrow Expansion National Policy Statement makes clear that the Government will consider the affordability of any proposed expansion scheme as part of the DCO decision-making process.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), as Heathrow's independent economic regulator, is responsible for administering the framework through which Heathrow's airport charges are set. The CAA is currently developing its approach to the regulation of expansion. This includes consideration of issues such as cost recovery, risk allocation and incentives for efficient delivery, which will help determine how expansion costs are passed through to airport users.