Disruption at Heathrow Debate

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Department: Department for Transport

Disruption at Heathrow

Harriet Cross Excerpts
Monday 24th March 2025

(1 day, 20 hours ago)

Commons Chamber
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Heidi Alexander Portrait Heidi Alexander
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I will look at the specific issue my hon. Friend raises about disabled passengers, but I would like to reassure her and her constituents that I am confident that our airports and critical national infrastructure are resilient. I recognise that significant disruption was caused on this occasion. The NESO review will tell us if there are any other actions we need to take, but I am confident about our current arrangements.

Harriet Cross Portrait Harriet Cross (Gordon and Buchan) (Con)
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It is, first, really important to emphasise that energy infrastructure is generally safe. However, the example on Friday indicated that things can go wrong. What is the Secretary of State, alongside her Government colleagues, doing to address over-industrialisation in certain areas? In Kintore and Leylodge in my constituency, we have a 275 kV substation next to a 400 kV substation, with a 3 GW hydrogen plant and nine battery storage sites in the planning. Together, there is a huge risk, if we consider that a fire was able to start on Friday.

Heidi Alexander Portrait Heidi Alexander
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All these risks are considered in the round, but if the hon. Lady wants to write to an appropriate Minister in another Department and copy me in, I would be happy to follow up on those discussions.