Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the construction of a third runway at Heathrow will require the closure of the Lakeside Energy from Waste plant; and of the corresponding impact this would have on the 12 councils that use this plant.

The Environment Agency (EA) has not yet made a detailed assessment of the effect of proposals to expand Heathrow Airport.

Heathrow Airport Ltd (HAL) is currently working on its detailed proposal and once this is submitted the EA will assess it. The EA will be responding to the first phase of HAL’s public consultation which was launched on 17 January 2018. The EA will not be able to assess the detailed proposals until HAL submit their application for a Development Consent Order, which they expect to do by the end of 2019.

Defra is aware of the potential effects of Heathrow’s expansion on local waste management and is monitoring the development.