Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure that airports continue to meet the requirements of the Birds and Habitats Directives and the Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive during airspace change decision-making processes.

Until exit negotiations are concluded, the UK remains a full member of the EU and all the rights and obligations of EU membership remain in force. During this period the Government will continue to negotiate, implement and apply EU legislation. The outcome of those negotiations will determine what arrangements apply in relation to EU legislation in future once the UK has left the EU. Irrespective of our future relationship with the EU we share its goals of ensuring that airspace is modernised to ensure sufficient capacity to accommodate growth in air traffic whilst remaining safe and minimising environmental impacts.

The Department for Transport would expect all airports to continue to meet the requirements of the Birds and Habitats Directives and the Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive during airspace change decision-making processes.