Earl of Glasgow

The Government believes that every child should experience a high quality creative education throughout their time at school. That is why subjects such as music, art and design, drama and dance are included in the National Curriculum for 5-14 year olds. The National Curriculum is compulsory for maintained schools. Academies and free schools are not required to teach the National Curriculum but can use it as a benchmark. They can also use their freedoms to innovate and build more stretching and tailored curricula, to meet the particular needs of their pupils or their local area or the particular ethos of the school.

All schools, including academies and free schools, must provide a broad and balanced curriculum that promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at the school and of society.

In autumn 2012, the Airports Commission was established with a remit to identify the scale and timing of any requirement for additional capacity to maintain the UK’s position as Europe’s most important aviation hub.

The Commission assessed 58 options for the provision of the additional airport capacity needed, including expanding Birmingham airport. In its interim report, the Commission concluded that expansion through the addition of one new runway in the South East of England was required by 2030. The Commission shortlisted three schemes; two at Heathrow Airport and one at Gatwick Airport and after carrying out further assessment and public consultation on all three schemes it unanimously recommended a new Northwest Runway at Heathrow Airport in combination with a significant package of measures to address its environmental and community impacts.

The Government received the Commission’s final report in July 2015 and in December 2015, following a review of the Commission’s work, the Government accepted the need for one new runway in the South East of England. Following a period of further work, the Government announced its preference for the Heathrow Northwest Runway scheme in October 2016.

The Airports National Policy Statement, which was designated on 26 June 2018, provides the primary basis for decision-making on development consent applications for a Northwest Runway at Heathrow Airport, clarifying what is required to enable development, whilst setting clear requirements to mitigate the impacts.

In October this year, the Secretary of State for Transport, invited northern cities to come together and work with the government on the options for HS3, alongside a wider transport strategy for the north. This will include options, costs and a delivery timetable for a HS3 east west rail connection. An interim report will be produced next March.