Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect of noise from aircraft taking off or landing at Heathrow on productivity in (a) schools in the Thames Valley and (b) businesses in the Thames Valley.

No such specific assessment has been made. The Government keeps under review all research carried out on the impacts of aircraft noise on health and sleep disturbance, including any effects on productivity, and would take this into account when considering the costs and benefits of any relevant policy or regulatory proposals.

As part of the last review of night flying restrictions at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted Airports, my Department commissioned the Civil Aviation Authority to undertake a review of literature on these impacts. The CAA published this review in January 2013 (Report ERCD 1208 on Aircraft Noise, Sleep Disturbance and Health Effects) and updated it in June 2014 (Report CAP 1164).