Airports: London

Lord Spicer Excerpts

Monday 5th September 2016 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Lord Spicer]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they will announce their decision about extra runways for London’s airports.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Transport (Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon) (Con)]

My Lords, the Government are committed to delivering the important infrastructure projects the country needs, including delivering runway capacity to the timetable set out by the Airports Commission. As noble Lords will appreciate, it is vital we get this decision right. The Government commissioned extra work looking at the three options shortlisted by the commission. Ministers will consider this alongside the comprehensive evidence published by the commission before reaching a final view on the preferred scheme.

[Lord Spicer (Con)]

My Lords, I warmly congratulate my noble friend on his well-deserved promotion to Minister of Aviation, which is a job I once held. Is not this whole issue getting a bit out of date? Should we consider asking not whether Heathrow or Gatwick will have another runway, but whether Gatwick and Heathrow will have extra runways?

[Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon]

First, I thank my noble friend for his kind remarks. He served in a very distinguished capacity as Aviation Minister, but he is also quite right to mention aviation capacity in the south-east. As I have said previously from this Dispatch Box, the Davies commission carried out quite comprehensive work in this regard. Three options were presented to the Government, which remain on the table.

Airports: London

Lord Spicer Excerpts

Tuesday 4th November 2014 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Lord Spicer]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their policy on the development of London’s airports.

[The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Baroness Kramer) (LD)]

In Our Programme for Government, the coalition announced the cancellation of plans for a third runway at Heathrow, and the refusal of permission for additional runways at Stansted and Gatwick. However, we recognise the need for a long-term airport capacity solution to ensure continuing international competitiveness in the coming decades. Therefore, Sir Howard Davies was asked to chair the independent Airports Commission, which will submit its final report in summer 2015.

[Lord Spicer (Con)]

My Lords, does the Liberal Democrat policy not to build runways at London’s airports, whatever the circumstances, drive a coach and horses through the policy that my noble friend the Minister has just announced?

[Baroness Kramer]

My Lords, it is absolutely important that as a Minister in the Department for Transport I make sure that the commission is always recognised as having full integrity and independence. Therefore, even when pressed with this question at my own party conference, I have always refused to give any answer other than that the Government will comment after the final report is submitted in 2015.

Airports: Heathrow

Lord Spicer Excerpts

Monday 31st March 2014 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Lord Spicer]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have made any assessment of the future ability of United Kingdom airlines to operate out of Heathrow Airport.

[The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Baroness Kramer) (LD)]

My Lords, the Government have made no such assessment. The future ability of United Kingdom and other airlines to operate at specific airports is a commercial matter for airlines and airports. The Government publish aviation forecasts for the UK, including air transport movements and passenger numbers, most recently in January 2013. The independent Airports Commission will report in 2015 on any recommended requirements for additional capacity to maintain the UK’s global hub status.

[Lord Spicer (Con)]

Is the Minister aware that it is because of the uncertainties about capacity at Heathrow that British Airways is undecided about whether to keep a big hub there? Would that not have been unthinkable in the 1980s, for instance, when Heathrow was the No. 1 international airport in the world and when I was Minister of Aviation?

[Baroness Kramer]

My Lords, Heathrow is an incredibly successful airport where many people vie for slots. The commission has been clear that there is no crisis of capacity in the south-east now, although it concluded that we will need one additional runway in the south-east by 2030 and, in all likelihood, a second by 2050. In the mean time, the noble Lord will note that the UK has the third-largest aviation network in the world after the USA and China. London serves 360 destinations, in comparison to Paris at around 300 destinations and Frankfurt at 250.

Railways: British Rail

Lord Spicer Excerpts

Tuesday 12th November 2013 Lords Chamber

Tabled by

[Lord Spicer]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to mark the passage of the legislation enabling the privatisation of British Rail.

[Lord Mawhinney (Con)]

My Lords, at the express request of my noble friend Lord Spicer and on his behalf, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in his name on the Order Paper.

Airports: Passenger Numbers

Lord Spicer Excerpts

Monday 15th July 2013 Lords Chamber

[Earl Attlee]

My Lords, I do not agree that there is inordinate delay. This is an extremely important decision. There is no right answer and when we find our solution we must have national consensus. The Airports Commission is the right way of determining the right answer and getting national consensus.

[Lord Spicer]

My Lords, how long will it take to complete the latest Boris Johnson wheeze?

[Earl Attlee]

My Lords, I am sure that the Airports Commission will take into account the practical difficulties and advantages of “Boris Island”.

Airports: London

Lord Spicer Excerpts

Monday 10th June 2013 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Lord Spicer]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to expedite the announcement of their policy on the future of London airports.

[Earl Attlee]

My Lords, the long-term question of aviation capacity is a matter of national importance. It is vital that the Airports Commission has sufficient time to carry out a thorough investigation of the options, and to build consensus around its long-term recommendations. The timetable set for its final report, by the summer of 2015, will allow this to take place, and will enable a stable, long-term solution to be found.

[Lord Spicer]

My Lords, does not the recommendation in the report of the Transport Select Committee that a rapid decision be made in the go-ahead for a third runway at Heathrow count for anything?

[Earl Attlee]

My Lords, we welcome the report of the Transport Select Committee but do not necessarily agree with all its conclusions. It is important that we have a solution that will withstand a change of government. The Crossrail and HS2 projects can withstand a change of government. We need a policy for Heathrow and the London hub that can also withstand a change of government.

Airports: Heathrow

Lord Spicer Excerpts

Wednesday 13th February 2013 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Lord Spicer]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what has been the average daily spare capacity at Heathrow Airport over the last six months.

[Earl Attlee]

My Lords, the day-to-day monitoring and management of Heathrow’s capacity is a commercial matter for the airport operator. However, I can confirm that the declared daily runway scheduling limit at Heathrow, published by Airport Coordination Limited for the winter season 2012-13, is for up to 656 arrivals and 678 departures, a total of 1,334 movements per day. There is an annual planning limit of 480,000 air transport movements at the airport.

[Lord Spicer]

My Lords, most people think that Heathrow is now pretty well full up. What would a third runway do for capacity at Heathrow and what would it do for the economic growth of our country?

[Earl Attlee]

My Lords, I certainly agree that Heathrow is to all intents and purposes full up. The answer to the noble Lord’s question about the third runway is a matter for the Airports Commission. Coalition policy is currently that there will be no third runway at Heathrow or any of the other London airports.

Airports: Capacity

Lord Spicer Excerpts

Tuesday 8th January 2013 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Lord Spicer]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the average percentage of total capacity used at London’s commercial airports over the past six months.

[Earl Attlee]

My Lords, between May and October 2012 there were 525,000 commercial air transport movements at the five largest commercial London airports: Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and London City. These air transport movements used around 86% of the available runway capacity.

--- Later in debate ---

[Lord Spicer]

My Lords, why are we allowing the London airport system to run out of capacity?

[Earl Attlee]

My Lords, we are not. We have set up the South East Airports Task Force to look at short-term measures to gain some capacity at Heathrow. In the rather longer term, we have the aviation policy framework, which we are committed to publishing in March 2013. Finally, we have set up the Airports Commission, headed up by Sir Howard Davies.

Aviation: Policy

Lord Spicer Excerpts

Monday 23rd July 2012 Lords Chamber

Asked By

[Lord Spicer]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they will publish their aviation policy.

[Earl Attlee]

My Lords, the Department for Transport published on 12 July a draft aviation policy framework setting out the importance of aviation to the UK economy and the Government’s proposals on how aviation can grow and deliver for the economy while meeting its noise, climate change and habitat obligations. The Government aim to adopt the final aviation policy framework next spring. Separately, a call for evidence on maintaining the UK’s international aviation connectivity will be published later this year.

--- Later in debate ---

[Lord Spicer]

Does my noble friend agree that aviation in general and Heathrow in particular are vital to the nation’s economic prosperity and growth, and that this is particularly apparent in the week in which we begin to host the Olympic Games? If he does, and if the Government do, why the delay in the consultation process about airports?

[Earl Attlee]

My Lords, I agree that aviation is vital to the economy of the United Kingdom. My noble friend asked me about the delay. It is important that we get this policy right and that it can be sustained even with a change in government.

Aviation Policy

Lord Spicer Excerpts

Monday 14th May 2012 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Lord Spicer]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect to complete their consultation on aviation policy and to publish their conclusions.

[Earl Attlee]

My Lords, the Government will publish a consultation on the draft aviation policy framework and a call for evidence on options for maintaining the UK’s hub connectivity later this summer. The Government aim to adopt the final aviation policy framework next spring.

[Lord Spicer]

My noble friend plays his usual straight bat in his usual charming way. Obviously, consultation is important, but surely the Government accept that Heathrow Airport is now full up and that there is therefore a desperate need for the construction as soon as possible of a third runway.

[Earl Attlee]

My noble friend is right: consultation is important, as is listening. I have listened to what noble Lords have said in the Chamber and outside, as have my right honourable friends in another place. Government policy is that there will be no third runway at Heathrow. The Government will of course follow the proper process in relation to the call for evidence on hub connectivity. However, it is unlikely that we will discover that we have not maxed out on what Heathrow’s affected population can tolerate.