Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that (1) the Civil Aviation Authority, and (2) the Department for Transport, will be able to exercise independent judgement in relation to the functions they are scheduled to assume from the Independent Commission on Civil Aviation Noise.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) provides a range of advice across a number of aviation subjects and domains. The CAA’s Environmental Research and Consultancy Department already produces independent noise advice for many stakeholders and the creation of a new Environmental Panel will give access to greater levels of technical capability and transparency around that advice. Decisions about aviation noise policy will, as they always have, remain with the Government.