Davies Commission Report

Debate between Lord McLoughlin and Huw Irranca-Davies

Wednesday 1st July 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mr McLoughlin]

That might need to be a private conversation with my right hon. and learned Friend outside the Chamber. However, I well appreciate the point he makes and I would want to see those sorts of issues addressed. As he rightly points out, local residents have had to put up with them for a considerable time.

[Huw Irranca-Davies (Ogmore) (Lab)]

This is perhaps the classic conundrum of sustainable development, with the Government and the country caught between an economic rock and an environmental hard place. The Environmental Audit Committee will want to examine it in detail when considering the report. What are the Secretary of State’s initial thoughts on the report’s conclusion in paragraph 9.120 that Gatwick performs “best” on minimising carbon emissions, and on paragraphs 9.92 and 9.93, which make clear

“the Commission’s objective to improve air quality consistent with EU standards and local planning policy requirements”

and that the scheme

“could, without mitigation, exceed the Air Quality Directive limit values and delay compliance with the EU limit value for the Greater London agglomeration”?

I do not envy the Secretary of State’s decision and the country’s decision, but we need to get this right in terms of those stringent warnings.

[Mr McLoughlin]

I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on being elected Chairman of the Environmental Audit Committee; he has probably just shown us why. I am sure that that Committee, along with the Transport Committee and other Committees of the House, will want to look at these issues and cross-question both me and other people on their implications.