Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect on the safe use of Gatwick airport's emergency runway of the expiry of Gatwick airport's 1979 agreement with West Sussex County Council.

Gatwick Airport have recently informed the Secretary of State of their intention to prepare an application for development consent for the increased use of their emergency runway.

The Department has not conducted a safety assessment on the basis that it will be for Gatwick Airport to prepare a safety, environmental, and economic case for the proposal which the Planning Inspectorate will examine through the development consent process.