Environment Bill

Debate between Rupa Huq and Theresa Villiers

2nd reading: House of Commons & Money resolution: House of Commons & Ways and Means resolution: House of Commons
Monday 28th October 2019 Commons Chamber

[Theresa Villiers]

I will take one more intervention and then I will make some progress.

[Dr Rupa Huq (Ealing Central and Acton) (Lab)]

I am very grateful to the Secretary of State for giving way. I was encouraged by her answer on Heathrow. She and I were on the same side of this argument for many years. I wondered whether we still agree. In 2017, she said,

“this is a hugely expensive project and one that will create significant economic damage.”

Her constituents and my constituents agree. Does she still agree with those words today?

[Theresa Villiers]

As the hon. Lady points out, my reservations about the Heathrow expansion are on the record for everyone to read. The fact is that the House has voted by a large majority to give outline planning permission to this project. It is now for the scheme’s promoters to demonstrate that they can come up with a scheme that meets the exacting conditions on the environment that Parliament has set.