Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what (a) projects and (b) funding was allocated to the Civil Aviation Authority for research on noise trunks in each of the last five years.

The Department for Transport (DfT) funds the Environmental, Research and Consultancy Department of the CAA for work on aviation noise.

Over the last 5 financial years the funding provided by the DfT was as follows

2011/12 £725 460

2012/13 £760 087

2013/14 £694 712

2014/15 £613 267

2015/16 £712000 (forecast for year end)

Over these 5 years the funding has been used to:

• provide annual noise contours for Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted;
• Maintain the ANCON noise model which is used to estimate noise exposure;
• Technical support to DFT’s Aircraft Noise Management Advisory Committee;
• Evidence to support policy consultations including the night flying restrictions at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted;
• Evidence and support to DfT in negotiating noise and emission standards for aircraft within the International Civil Aviation Organisation;
• Monitoring relevant research in the field of health and annoyance impacts of aviation noise.