Live Airport Capacity Statement Questions and Statements

committee. No such representations have been made and if any are made

they will early be considered very carefully. Order. Statement, the

Secretary of State for Transport. Secretary Chris Grayling. With your

permission I would like to make a statement about airport capacity and

airspace policy. In October last year you will remember I had

announced the government selected a new Northwest runway at Heathrow as

its preferred space. You will be aware aviation expansion is

important for the United Kingdom both in boosting our economy and

jobs and promoting us on the world stage. Leaving the EU is a new

chapter forbidden and provides us with a great opportunity to forge a

new role in the world. We are determined to seize that opportunity

and if we have the right of the structure in place it will allow us

to build a more global Britain. By backing the Northwest runway at

Heathrow Airport, we are sending a clear signal that we are open for

business. Today I laid before Parliament a draft statement and

begin a period of extensive consultation with the public. The

draft airports national policy statement is accompanied by an

appraisal of sustainability, which possesses the potential economic,

social and environmental impact of the proposed policy. I have

published all this information online to ensure this process is as

transparent as possible. Over the last 70 years, the United Kingdom

has failed to build the capacity needed to match people post by

growing desire for trouble. Unless we take action, every London

aircraft is forecast to be full by 2040, -- and almost entirely full by

2030. It would place increasing cost on the rest of the economy over

time, lowering economic output by making aviation more expensive and

less convenient to use. With knock-on effect in lost trade,

tourism and foreign direct investment. Mr Speaker, this

government believes that a new Northwest runway at Heathrow best

delivers. It delivers tens of thousands of

additional local jobs by 2030 and up to ?61 billion of economic benefits,

not including wider trade benefits. This is a scheme that will benefit

the whole of the United Kingdom. I will expect Heathrow Airport to work

with airlines to improve domestic connectivity, including the addition

of six more domestic routes across the UK by 2030, bringing the total

to 14. Strengthening links the nations and regions and also

developing new connections. Heathrow's location means it is

already accessible to business and the rest of the UK. In the future,

it will be connected to Crossrail, and linked to HS2 that although

common. We also bringing forward plans to deliver western and

Southern Rail access to the airport as quickly as possible in order to

provide greater flexibility, accessibility and resilience for

passengers. A Heathrow Northwest runway would be expected to deliver

the greater support for freight, and as we leave the European Union we

would need to get out into the world and do new business with old allies

and new partners alike. A new Northwest runway at Heathrow plays a

big part in this. In summary, a new Northwest runway at Heathrow would

be expected to create new global connections, tens of thousands of

jobs, to reduce fares for passengers, to provide new capacity

for freight imports and exports and spread the benefits of growth to the

whole of the United Kingdom. Today we are sending a clear message that

this government is not only making the big decisions, but getting on

with delivering them. Now, Mr Speaker, I'm clear that expansion

must not, at any costs, and we will meet our legal requirement on air

quality and obligations on carbon. The airport's National policy

statement if designated will provide the primary basis for making

decisions on any development consent application for a new Northwest

runway at Heathrow. Heathrow Airport would be expected to provide up to

?2.6 billion to communities who are affected by the expansion, including

noise insulation to homes and schools, improvements to public

facilities and other measures. This includes a community compensation

fund and establishing a community engagement board. For those people

whose homes need to be compulsory purchased to make way for a new

runway, or for those who take up the voluntary scheme we expect, we

expect and Heathrow must honour its commitments payments of 25% above

the full market value of their home, and cover all costs like stamp duty,

moving and legal fees. I'm also cleared the environmental

impact must be minimised. This includes quality impacts and

Heathrow Airport will be required to demonstrate this scheme can be

delivered within the legal air-quality obligations. The airport

should continue to strive to meet its public pledge to have landside

airport related traffic no greater than today, measures also required

to mitigate the impact of noise including ugly binding noise targets

and periods of predictable respite. The government expects a ban of six

and a half hours unscheduled night flights and plastic construction

must also take place that minimises impact on the environment and on the

local community. Outside of the local community. Outside of the

planning system I'm also cleared there must be conditions on cost.

Expansion costs will be paid for by the third not the taxpayer, but the

government is clear it expects industry to work together to drive

down costs. I'm also expected that the surgery Sullivan will provide

oversight of the draft policy consultation process. I would like

to turn to the second consultation I wish to bring to the attention of

this House on UK airport policy today, UK airspace policy. I'm

publishing proposals to modernise the way UK space spaces managed

which will be consulted on in parallel. By taking steps now to

future proof this vital infrastructure we can harness the

latest technology to make airspace more efficient as well as making

journeys faster and more environmentally friendly. The policy

principles set out in this principles set out in this

consultation would influence decisions taken Peter in the

planning process for a north-west runway at Heathrow so it's sensible

to allow members of the public to express views on both these issues

at the same time. The consultation will set out plans to establish an

independent commission on civil aviation noise and bring forward

proposals to improve her communities can engage and make sure their

voices are heard. The condiment this we are proposing guidance on how

noise impact should be assessed and used to inform decisions on

airspace. These proposals aim to strike a balance between economic

benefits of a thriving aviation sector and its impact on local

communities and the environment. The aviation sector is a great British

success story, contributing around ?20 billion a year and that directly

supports approximately 230,000 jobs across the UK. It also supports an

estimated 206,000 jobs across the wider economy. I want to build on

the success of this year my department will also begin the

process of developing a new strategy for UK aviation generally. This will

champion the success story of the UK champion the success story of the UK

aviation sector, put consumer back-up heart of our thinking, I

want to make sure the sector is delivering more choice for consumers

and for the country. And I will come back to the House to update you and

honourable members on plans as they develop. Finally let me briefly

turned to what happens next. These two consultations start today,

lasting for 16 weeks closing on the 23rd of May. At the same time and is

required by the planning act 2008, a period of Parliamentary scrutiny, a

relevant period now begins for the draft airports National policy

statement ending by the summary says 2017. While planning is a devolved

matter this consultation is open to the whole of the UK and additional

airport capacity will benefit us all. Following consultation and

parliamentary scrutiny consideration will be given to the comments and

points raised and in the light of these processes, should the decision

be taking to proceed, a final airports national policy statement

will be laid before Parliament for debate on the opportunity for a vote

in the House of commons in the winter of 2017-18. I'm placing

copies of all relevant documents in the House, they will also be

available online for members and Empress of the public. I commend

this statement and process to the House. Mr Andy McDonald. Thank you.

May I thank the Secretary of State for advanced sight of his statement.

Mr Speaker, aviation is key to ensuring the UK remains an adverb

looking trading nation post Brexit and labour has consistently been

pushing for a decision on runway expansion in the south-east of

England so after years of dither and delay it is welcome that progress is

finally being made. We've been Colin for action on airspace modernisation

for some time and although we can see it, are a space network is in

dire need of modernisation. It's over half a century old but still

among the country's most by the pieces of infrastructure.

Modernising airspace would involve tough decisions about the benefits

are huge, it's in the national interest but the government to

ensure they deliver a balanced and sustainable airspace solution.

However there are still outstanding issues including how Heathrow's

expansion can be squared with meeting the UK's climate change

object with Sun demonstrating local noise and environmental impact can

be minimised. This can be achieved but only in the context of a

coherent aviation strategy that works for the country, not just

London. It starts with confirming our membership of the European

aviation safety agency as well as action on cleaner fuels and

improving road and rail access to our international gateway airports.

As the Secretary of State knows, business loaves on certainty and

aviation is no exceptions of what assurances can the Secretary of

State give that the UK's continued membership of the European aviation

safety agency is and will remain an absolute priority and what his

commitment is to leaving the single market for leaving the single

aviation market. The Committee on Climate Change cautioned against

relying on carbon trading for Heathrow to achieve its emission

targets. Is this option might not always be cheap and available. Can

the Secretary of State provide an update on further he plans to reject

this advice? There is an increasing concern regarding quality which is

linked to 40,000 early deaths a year and David Cameron's former aide, now

Baroness Camilla Cavendish claimed existing policy on air quality

underwhelmed is and over claims. Given this inadequacy of what

further and stringent measures will be proposed to mitigate expected

expansion at Heathrow? The key to improving our quality alongside a

move to reduce vehicle emissions is encouraging people to use public

transport to arrive at our airports. In harassment is needed to real

services to Heathrow if the objective of 55% public transport

usage is to be achieved so can I invite the Secretary of State to

outline what progress he's making and how he can insure business

beneficiaries from such enhancements will make a fair contribution? If we

are to secure the modal shift to accessing airports by public

transport and in the context of the aviation strategy can I invite the

Secretary of State to confirm that the national infrastructure

commission will be asked to enquire into the issue of service access at

all our international gateway airports and sea ports. I'd like to

welcome his commitment to fulfil our legal requirements on air quality

and obligations on carbon but I note that the reference to Heathrow

striving to meet its public alleged to have airport public traffic no

greater than today, but it's not simply the volume of traffic, it's

about vastly reducing the emissions that come from such traffic. Much of

that, Mr Speaker, touches on the role of ultra-low emission vehicles

and that's going to be key in securing our shared object was. The

modern transport Bill will hopefully progress the agenda considerably. In

conclusion, could I ask the Secretary of State to tell the House

when we are likely to see the modern transport Bill? Can I start by

thanking the honourable gentleman for his support in my statement this

morning. I raised a number of questions which I'll answer the

principle of support I welcome. This is a long-term project for this

country and sharing a vision of the need for expanding capacity across

this has... And I know there are individual members who had local

challenges but the supportive comments he made this morning are

welcome so I'm grateful. Let me seek to answer the questions he raised.

Firstly, on the European issue, we haven't reached a definitive

position on this, the negotiations haven't started yet, we haven't

triggered article 50. I'm acutely aware aviation is one of the sectors

we need to handle with care going forward and working out the best way

of tech Vasek and delivering conductivity for the future and I

will come back to the hazard an appropriate moment and provide more

information but as he is aware, are not in a position to provide

detailed negotiations in advance. -- will come back to the House. In

terms of climate change obligations, as he rightly says, aviation is not

included in the current climate change targets. It is clearly an

issue, it is and has been since the recent agreement in Montr al subject

to an international strategy going forward. Some of the things were

consulting on today, for example smart use of airspace, one of the

things we be able to achieve through reform and new technology is to

avoid to anything like the degree we experience, aeroplanes stacking over

the south-east of England, emitting a dish on all emissions into the

atmosphere, using more fuel, that's one of the benefits coming from

smarter use of as well newer generation fuel efficient are crafts

that I think we see over the coming years. On the issue of diesel

emissions, you will be aware of this is much more a car issue than an

aeroplane issue, it's about the propensity of congested areas in the

cities to cause a genuine public health problem and so it's a broader

issue for government to address than simply the airport. We've made a

start with the incentive in place or low emission vehicles, the expansion

of charging points we set out in the Autumn Statement and indeed we will

see very shortly the bill, as he raised the question, probably would

have been here by night had it not been for the fact we've had other

business to deal with in this House! The issues in that bill will be

important but I am aware and the government is aware that we have to

do much more on the emissions from and my right honourable friend the

Secretary of State at DEFRA will come forward in due course with

further proposals to tackle what is the broader issue, not just airport

expansion, and we can't possibly wait until airport expansion happens

to address and we want. He raised the question of rail services. This

is something that we already have significant plans in development

for, the arrival of Crossrail, HS2, will make a significant difference

to public transport and to Heathrow, as will the proposed modernisation

of the Piccadilly line which will significantly expand capacity.

Starting to develop work on the real accesses to the south and of

Heathrow. He is absolutely right to raise this, we are working on this,

the private sector will make a substantial contribution to the

cost. Lastly, he raised the important point of service access

and land access, this is something we are looking at in a variety of

different forums, I'm particularly concerned to ensure as we move on to

this post Brexit world we make sure there are blockages, congestion

points, limits around ports and airports, in a world we need to

facilitate trade, we take the steps we need to to address those and we

will. I'm grateful to him for the will. I'm grateful to him for the

supportive comments he is made and I'll obviously try and keep him and

the House as informed as possible. Simon Burns. Given that after 70

years we've talked the talk on airport capacity over London, will

my right honourable friend except that it's welcome he is now laying

down the plans to walk the walk and get on with holding Heathrow's third

runway? But given our antiquated tanning rules, is he confident that

it will be completed by 2040 when the airports reached the capacity

and can he give a commitment to the local communities around all the

London airports that the smarter use of error space can be used in the

entrance to reduce noise and other disturbance from local communities?

I'm grateful to my honourable friend for his comments and I'm clear we

aim to deliver that airport expansion long before 2040. What we

have now is a process set out in statute, introduced by the party

opposite and I'm grateful to them for that. Much more streamlined

process for securing the initial consent, I hope when we reach the

point at the end of this year if consultation confirms the

recommendation the government makes and this House does the same, we

will have effectively reached a point of outline planning consent

allowing the airport to press on with detailed reparation work for

construction. With regard to airspace, I think this makes a real

difference to communities around the south-east, what it enables us to do

is put planes on much more exact pounds, today is that not technology

in a plane enables it to follow a much more traditional route than

beacons, enabling us to manage approaches and dissent to airports,

to manage the overall use of airports so we don't have stacking

around the south-east, I hope the second part of this process today

that I believe is actually as important to communities around the

country as the airport expansion, I hope it will enable us to insure we

have a sector watch more friendly to the communities it affects.

Thank you also to the Minister for advance sight of the statement this

morning. We welcome the decision to go ahead with the expansion of the

Heathrow runway. After many years of waiting it is time to get on it and

deliver this, and the specific benefits it could bring, but

building the new runway is meaningless if you don't have access

to the air in the EU open skies agreement. Can the Minister tell us

is at his intention to seek membership of the EU open skies.

Regional airports to mention that are so vital, I agree those

connections need to be made. What guarantees will he give the regional

airports in Scotland, especially those of the likes of Dundee and

Inverness over routes and slots in Heathrow expanded. Finally, he did

mention the need to tackle the environmental issues, and spoke

about how you deal with that. What specific targets will he put in

place about carbon that will show ambition above the legal

requirements stated? Can I say that we and the Scottish Government don't

always agree on every thing but I am grateful to him and his party and to

the administration in a number of the support they have provided on

Heathrow expansion, indeed I shall after the statement be heading off

to the other side of Scotland, the Glasgow, to talk about the

importance there of this particular announcement of the United Kingdom

as a whole. With regard to his question about regional airports I

am absolutely clear that there will be an obligation on Heathrow to

fulfil its promises of regional connectivity. I expect this capacity

to not only of the links from the United Kingdom and the rest of the

world, but to open links from within the United Kingdom

to Heathrow and to the rest of the world. That's really important to

airports across Scotland, the North of England, and other parts of the

United Kingdom, Northern Ireland and the south-west and so forth. He

raised the question about EU open skies. As I said earlier, this will

be a subject for negotiation, Mr Speaker. We will seek to provide the

best possible arrangements for the future but it is inconceivable

whatever the arrangements, we had flights to and from European Union

capitals long before the European Union even existed and that will

continue after Britain has left the EU. We will have strong aviation

ties around the world, and this expansion is not particularly about

the European Union links, it opens up ties between the UK and emerging

markets around the world and will provide links for Scotland, Wales,

Northern Ireland and England to markets where there is great

potential for the future. I believe the Secretary of State is doing his

work backwards. How can you consult on airspace strategy when you don't

have a credible policy of how to address current noise pollution

levels? How can you offer a consultation National policy

statement when you have no credible or legal plan how to reduce air

pollution? How can you have consultations ending on the 25th of

May with no credible or legal plans of addressing critical noise and air

pollution levels? Legal or any other plans to announce on this matter at

all? I know how strongly my honourable friend feels about this

and I know about the concerns of her constituency and very much respect

her for what she is doing. This is one of the difficulties of a big

strategic decision like this. That is impossible to take it without

some impact. I give her assembly my assurance that we will take all

steps we can to minimise those impacts, inevitable though it is

that there will be some. With regard to the issue of pollution, what I

would say to her is two things: first of all it is on the basis of

the recommendation made to us by the airports commission, and subsequent

work carried out by the government in the wake of some of the more

recent developments about the missions of motor vehicles that we

have taken the decision. We are clear in our view that this

expansion is deliverable within the rules, but also in the case the

government tends to go much further in tackling emissions of motor

vehicles. The issue of NOx emissions is much more about urban congestion

than airports, it is something we have do deal with much sooner. This

is a long-awaited and welcomed statement. Heathrow is the right

place for expansion to link with emerging markets, and that is

essential for our future economic success, but how is the minister

able to convince us that this really would be an integrated transport

policy, that at the same time as developing links with emerging

markets, it would address critical issues of environmental concern,

including air pollution at the same time? What can he do to convince us

that that indeed would happen? The honourable lady made two points, the

first in relation to connectivity. I think actually the plans for

improved rail access around Heathrow will completely transform it as an

integrated hub. The connectivity that HS2 will bring the old Oak

Common at Crossrail, the expanded Piccadilly line, it will be much

more of an accessible integrated transport centre than it has been,

combined with regional activity as well. With regard to the pollution

issues, we have done detailed analysis first with the airports

commission, secondly from... It is the judgment of the government that

it is expandable within rules. As I said we have a big cask in this

country to a and much broader issue. We cannot sit with the status quo

when the runway opens, we have to have made a big impact before then.

From my constituents and is in Esher and Walton, it is going to be

critical to have tangible reassurances, including on legally

binding limits the noise and equality, independent verification

of both of those things and a change of policy on flight paths from the

arbitrary policy of concentration, which blights constituents like

Molesey in my constituency, will he work with me to nail down those

local reassurances for my constituents? I am very happy to

give my honourable friend those assurances, and in particular the

thing we share across our two constituencies is the stack of

south-west London. When it changes its heralds it will change that

fundamentally, there will be much less stacking, much less fuel

wastage over south-west England, fewer emissions over south-east

England and it will provide a much better experience for his

constituents. The right honourable gentleman's departments reanalysis

of the air-quality did a qualitative reanalysis of air quality, showing

that the areas around Heathrow, it was possible they would be in breach

of the limits when the third runway open. Will he undertake to do a

quantitative reanalysis that includes real driving emissions, and

includes the input the contribution to add quality problems that the

Volkswagen cheat devices has made, will he undertake to do that before

the consultation ends, and will he give a cast-iron guarantee today

that he will not use Brexit as a means to watering down our European

Union air-quality targets? On that latter point, the government fully

recognises that we have a duty to tackle this problem. My right Bible

friend at FO will be bringing forward proposals as to how we will

take that for -- my right honourable friend the Secretary of State at

Afro. With regard to the broader question of what we have done, we

have carried out further work since the Volkswagen emissions. It can be

delivered within the current rules, but of course we intend to go much

further than that, we intend to have much more transformation between now

and the next decade. It is not about this airport, it is about our urban

areas generally and we have to deal with it. I know it's going to take a

lot more than a builder with a bucket of tarmac to do this, it will

be an investment of something not far off ?20 billion, great boost to

London City Airport. Can he give his best estimate as to when he believes

the first plane will take off from the north-west runway? Both of us

would share the aspirations to do this as soon as possible, but the

working assumption is the first plane will take off in the middle of

the next decade. We perhaps should have come to this decision a long

time ago, but at the least we are doing it now and we'll get on with

it as soon as possible but we have to do it in the right way, in the

sustainable way, and with great care for the surrounding communities. Can

I welcome today's statement. To be a truly national policy it has two

include the interest of national -- regional airports such as Newcastle,

so important to the economy of the north-east. It is not just about

infrastructure, it is also about taxation. Can I ask him to urge his

Treasury colleagues because it is going to damage their capability to

compete. I know the importance of this announcement in Newcastle. When

I first made the statement of this house about the government's bozos,

I went to Newcastle the following day and met the Chief Executive, and

clearly enormous support in that area for the extension of the

airport. What I say in relation to a PDA, I am sure in the run-up to the

budget... One member was seeking to catch my eye, and seemed to exit the

chamber. It may have been that I was experiencing an optical illusion. Mr

Crispin Blunt. I said to my right honourable friend following up the

comments from the honourable friend for Esher and welcome, the lethal

commendation of the new technology and the very much more precise paths

compared -- combined with the current policy over dispersal is

literally a lethal disaster for the people who are right underneath

those routes on this new technology. It should be possible through the

new technology to create an artificial degree of dispersal where

that happened before under analogue systems. Will my right honourable

friend advance on this consultation, knowing that this is a very

important issue to address for many of our constituents? To be slightly

parochial for those of us who represent Surrey constituents, we

are all very aware of the issues around Gatwick Airport, the flight

paths that planes have been taking their in recent times. My hope is

that this consultation will lead to a system that will enable us to be

much more careful about managing flight parts, so we can provide

respite to communities and decide exactly how to handle approaches to

airports, and it is not simply a question of a rather haphazard said

the flight paths being followed. Mike and give him assurances that I

think we will end up with a better system for his constituents and

those in neighbouring constituencies. Could I ask the

Secretary of State about references in the airports commission surface

access strategic road network proposals published by Highways

England in October? This document includes proposals to widen the M4.

The government made a statement to the media two weeks ago to the

effect that this will not go ahead, but the Parliamentary answers I have

received in response to my written questions have not been as clear.

Could the Secretary of State perhaps confirm these proposals won't go

ahead and there will be no land or property acquisition in Heston. I

will be absolutely clear about this, I saw the BBC reports, there is no

plan to widen the M4. There is a plan to create a smart motorway on

the M4 as she will be aware, but there was no plan to widen the M4,

no plan I am aware of the start buying houses in her constituency,

and I have not seen a budget either, so take it from me, there is no plan

to widen the M4. I very much commend and support my right honourable

friend 's statements today. With regard to to Gatwick Airport and

access to it, can I have assurances that the rail link to that facility

will continue to be invested in and upgraded? Mr Speaker, I can give my

honourable friend that assurance, as he will be aware, the government is

bringing forward plans to fulfil the recommendation by Chris gives to

spend 300 million on the route in the short term. Weekly have a

modernisation challenge beyond that, which we are looking at how we best

fulfil. But what I would say to him also, the other issue with Gatwick

is Gatwick Station, and we are in discussion with the airport and

Network Rail about how we can deal with that in the future, making sure

that Gatwick has proper modern surface action for the future is

also a priority. Personally, I welcome the policy, known at the

that aviation could be less convenient to use. But the moment

unfortunately many airports are turning themselves into long

meandering shopping malls. Glasgow airport like others has a quarter of

a kph meander, inconveniencing those with mobility issues, particularly

during the gates. I do exclude London city from this criticism, but

can airports policy also include travellers and not just those who

want to shop? I know what he means but the

counterbalance is one of the factors that keeps the cost of aviation down

and so I am not sure I can promise fewer shops that while we are doing

consultation on a national strategy he will be very welcome to make that

point and we will consider it carefully. More importantly given

the constituency he represents, providing better links through

Scotland to Heathrow and the links that exist is really important to

ensuring better connectivity for the future. That is why this will make a

difference to him. I am very dreadful for your indulgence Mr

Speaker but this is a matter of grave concern for my constituents

and I want to pick up on my honourable friend point, here is a

log in this place, regarding consultation and engagement. He has

moved to a different place. Consultation and engagement with

local communities particularly in Surrey and areas around Heathrow.

This is absolutely vital and I want to hear his further reiteration of

his commitments to engage local communities. Mr Speaker quite apart

from the statutory process peace we do want to listen to people about

the impacts upon them. If there are refinements that need to be made to

a proposal, regardless of whether Parliament decides we should go

ahead, if we do go ahead with a proposal then it's essential we

listen carefully about these impacts. And if we need to improve

those things then we will do that. And then of course also there is an

opportunity to make real to the areas around the airport exposed to

take-off and landing. I continued to support the third runway for the

best option for my constituents in Sheffield that given the delays that

have occurred, we are still ten years away from getting this runway

up and running. In the meantime Heathrow is running at around 98%

capacity and demands are going to continue in that ten year period.

What are the plans to manage that increased demand during the ten

years before the runway opens? The truth is, Mr Speaker, it is a

constraint upon us. There is still capacity around London, also some

first-rate regional airports for him, the East Midlands and South

Yorkshire have access to very good airports in Leeds Bradford and in

East Midlands Airport, both of which have done phenomenally well in

recent times and provide more links internationally themselves. But of

course we are constrained by the fact the decision was not taken a

long time ago which is why we need to get on with it now. Buttler the

Secretary of State will know very well because I have written to him

on numerous occasions that airspace management over parts of West Kent

is becoming a very serious problem. This is particularly referenced

night-time. While you can enjoy your night 's undisturbed, Mr Speaker, my

constituents certainly do not have this luxury. This is a very

important point. It is an issue I have been looking at. There are

innards of its ways around the country of dealing with this. --

innovative ways. We need to find out the views of the public about how we

should best manage night flights in order to minimise the impact on

communities and being notified better for iPods will make a

significant difference and address some of the issues I have seen.

Since Cardiff airport was rescued from private ownership into a

public-private partnership, it is now enjoyed the top environmental

award and is now the fastest-growing airport in the United Kingdom,

increasing passengers last year by 16%, can we welcome that purchase of

the appalled by the Welsh assembly and also guarantee that as the

report says connectivity will be improved between the regions and

nations of Britain, and some of those links will be with Wales. I

think Cardiff has been a great success story and I pay tribute to

those involved. And with regard to the member for Sheffield's question

about what is happening in the coming years, we are fortunate that

we have very good regional airports that cannot only take up the slack

in the coming years but will be an important crucial part of our

overall strategy in the future. Mr Speaker, as the Heathrow decision

goes ahead the demand from the rest of England will ever expand and will

my right honourable friend confirmed that Tim Bowles will be able to join

myself and colleagues from the West of England and putting our views

forward to join up the Western mainline to Heathrow. Mr Speaker, I

can tell my honourable friend as he knows that I have already been

getting extensive lobbying from both his constituency and elsewhere

saying this is a really important part of what we do. Rail access to

Heathrow is going to be a really crucial part of ensuring that we can

deliver the growth that we anticipate without having the kind

of impacts on the local environment that massively increased road

traffic might generate. This is something we are working on very

hard. Reading the statement this morning because my train was

cancelled, this is not an unusual occurrence, it happened yesterday as

well. Given the strain is already on the rail network around Heathrow

Airport, I wonder if the secretary of state can tell me if the draft

MPS commits to no net increases by road and the estimated cost of

upgrading the rail infrastructure will be in the region of ?19

million, Heathrow have only committed 1 million of these costs.

The Secretary of State at he does not accept the estimates. Can he

Talawat his own estimates are at whether these will be funded by the

taxpayer? Mr Speaker, we have a semi-sprint yesterday, except my

train was cancelled, but as she is aware there was a power failure

which cause problems, which does happen. I know she says

nationalising that Network Rail is in the public sector and it was a

Network Rail problem. On the subject of the airport expansion, and the

importance of making sure in her constituency and in other parts of

the areas affected we do the right thing for local people, I give an

assurance to her constituents that we will work immensely hard to

listen to their views in the coming weeks and look at ways of minimising

the impact of airport expansion. It is something we need to do very

carefully but I simply do not accept the figures from TEFL. I think the

TEFL estimate of ?19 billion, ?20 billion, is plucked from thin air. I

have seen no evidence. Would the Minister nearshore mean

there would be proper coordination between the airport strategy and

delivering the type of infrastructure with the railway and

a 303 that is vital to making sure this is a success. My honourable

friend knows we are moving ahead with the development process of the

8303. I have made funding available for the next stage of work in

Dawlish but the other thing that will be of benefit to the south-west

is improved aviation is as well. One of the regional airports that will

benefit from this increased connectivity. The Secretary of State

wants a quarter of million extra flights over one of the most densely

populated parts of Britain he has no scheme for combating congestion or

noise. How will he deal with emissions Chris Watt but increased

freight on road, does he not know that increases in public transport

are already needed? Is he not just passing the buck to someone else to

save these problems? I am not passing the buck to anyone else. If

you look at the plans for improved land connectivity around Heathrow, I

have talked on the Piccadilly line, cross well, it would entail the kind

of transformation to access to Heathrow it has never seen before

and my belief, Mr Speaker, which type commitments on the airport

developers, we can deliver this with low noise aircraft, a smart

compensation package and benefits to the United Kingdom. The economic

case for NHS to is partly built on the fact that Mac for HS2. Reports

suggest a dramatic increase in the number of internal flights in the UK

when Heathrow expanse. Can my right honourable friend clarify the

position and also what commitment is he making to expanding regional

airports so they are hosting international flights rather than

having to come to Heathrow? On the latter my honourable friend takes a

look at some of the regional airports, an extraordinary amount of

international connectivity. We opened a new expanded terminal in

Bristol recently. This is meeting an additional need, not replacing what

they do but in terms of HS2 that great benefit from HS2 is not only

connectivity in general but perhaps the capacity it releases. We have

such congestion on the rest of the rail network, thousands of extra

commuters seats will be delivered into Euston for example by taking

those express trains out of the existing route. I think the business

case for HS2 is much broader than that. Can I very much welcome the

statements today and welcome your comments about tedious meandering

shopping mall split in Northern Ireland 60% of those who fly from

Northern Ireland, I know the Minister accepts the uniqueness of

Northern Ireland, go to Gatwick, Stansted and it. Can we make sure

that we expand and look after all those airports so that it suits

everyone in Northern Ireland and the other regional airports? Absolutely,

Mr Speaker, that support will be essential part of our strategy for

aviation and transport generally in the future. The expansion of

Heathrow will have some direct benefits for Northern Ireland,

Heathrow will be expanding routes to Belfast for example. It is important

we went in the best possible links through to those international

destinations that are important to businesses in Northern Ireland. Why

should a member who represents the hills and valleys of mid Wales be

speaking in Mr made? Quite simply, Mr Speaker, my -- in this debate. My

constituents will benefit from the special feature is a cat I ask my

honourable friend to proceed as quickly as possible? It is a really

important point because actually the impact of this proposal will be felt

up and down the country. In small businesses producing equipment, in

colleges training apprentices, it will affect regional economies. My

honourable friend is absolutely right and I'm grateful to him for

his support. On the issue of jobs at Heathrow, would support for his

proposals be strengthened if employers like British Airways

treated their workforce decently? He knows that the mixed fleet cabin

crew dispute is now going on because the underpaid mainly female

workforce are being treated appallingly. Will he intervene and

speak to British airways to make an improved offer? My honourable friend

makes his case well. He would not expect me to seek to become involved

in the dispute of this kind. I very much hope they will be able to reach

a resolution mutually acceptable to both sides. I welcome the decision,

I think it is the right one for the UK, but the secretary of state will

be aware that on the 23rd of January we had a black alert in air

pollution in London and 12 local authority areas signalled red

alerts. That means toxic air and it is at crisis point in London. I

think if you're going to reassure the people of London to continue to

support this decision we need a much more comprehensive air pollution

strategy, not the government 's current plans that the courts have

said are woefully inadequate. Of course we take careful note of the

court decision, such a plan is in development but if you look back to

the Autumn Statement, if we look at new proposals like low emission

buses, this is something we have to deal with now. We have to find the

right way to migrate the nature of the cars on our roads and the

vehicles on our right to the point they are causing much less of a

pollution problem. Very shortly there will be a UK mainland airport

from which passengers and luggage will be on the flight directly into

an international UK airport without any security checks on passengers or

their luggage. Shopping. The decision to move security checks

into Glasgow is an unnecessary relaxation on a system that has

worked well. Was the government where -- shocking. Are they happy to

see passengers flying to a major UK airport without undergoing security

check that every other passenger has?

I thought that. Is at stake in Scottish is that budget austerity

budget millions of pounds from other services. Saint/ Air Passenger Duty.

Is it but that is supposed to go through with the support of the

Green Party. What this has his department made of the legal

requirement for a quality of Heathrow and other UK airports, as

of slashing Air Passenger Duty in Scotland? The honourable gentleman

identifies the inconsistencies we often see policies coming from the

SNP Green Party. Unixes were very articulately. Instance of evolution

is FIFPro, as I said earlier, it is much more easy about land transport,

transport trucks mother Elizabeth airport that is why we will focus on

the challenge on our roads rather than focusing on the aviation issue.

This issue will be dealt with the pressure taken FIFPro Faycal C have

the issue on the roads. As I explained during the Brexit defects

many of the aviation sector think Brexit will lead to the sector

shrinking, thus negating the need for an additional runway. Can the

Minister confirm if any talks have taken place with the Tramp

administration on the US- UK Open skies agreement? No talks have taken

place. I'm expecting to meet my US counterpart in about a month's time.

But I can say that discussions took place with the previous

administration and there is goodwill on both sides to make sure there is

no hiatus on transatlantic air traffic. I welcome today's

statement, particularly about connectivity with HS2, greater if we

get the HS2 hub at Crewe. Can he confirm the proportion of slots at

Heathrow are available to domestic traffic will remain at least the

same as it is with two runways. I'm looking carefully at how best to do

this because we don't want a situation where we have slots at 11

o'clock at night so it may not simply be about slots, it may be

about getting the right mechanism to ensure there is the necessary

capacity to ensure the connectivity. I probably won't simply say it is

ex-slots, we want to make sure the right package to make sure there is

fair treatment at regional airports. Mr Speaker, the Secretary of State

will know 9000 people died unnecessarily in London because of

poor air quality. Will he guarantee that post Brexit the government

won't dump EU air quality regulations? He didn't give a

guarantee in relation to an early intervention from the member for

Wakefield. Will he explain what the Apple will do if it cannot deliver

the legal error obligation limits? Proceed anyway, change the air

quality objectives, or pull the plug on the runway? Mr Speaker, it is

clear the airport will not be able to secure its devil and consent

order if it cannot demonstrate its ability to meet those targets, which

is binding and it will have to achieve those. In terms of our

broader strategy, after we have left the European Union the air quality

standards in place in this country will be UK quality standards but it

is not the intention of the government to reduce air quality

standards. It is our intention with the delivery strategy that cleans up

our air and that will happen shortly. Mr Speaker, will the

Secretary of State's airspace policy consultation include new measures to

protect the public from the danger of drones, given the recent reports

of airspace near misses, before a tragedy occurs? I can confirm we are

consulting on the best regulatory framework for drones and I suspect

that will inevitably need some kind of licensing for drugs that could be

a threat to the public and limitations on where they can be

used.