Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the economic consequences of a decision not to proceed with expansion at Heathrow Airport.

The needs case for Heathrow Expansion is set out in the draft HENPS with the supporting costs and benefits forming the economic case set out in the Heathrow Expansion Appraisal Report (HEAR). This assesses the economic, connectivity and environmental impacts of Heathrow expansion against a counterfactual without expansion. The estimated benefits of expansion represent the difference between these modelled scenarios and are presented in two ways, the first the welfare benefits of expanding Heathrow in line with the departments Transport Analysis Guidance; and secondly, an assessment of the GDP benefits of expanding Heathrow.