Asked by: Harriet Harman (Labour - Camberwell and Peckham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he plans to take to support British Airways employees that are at risk of redundancy; and what the timeframe is for the provision of that support.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
The Department for Transport is in regular contact with airlines, airports and unions to understand the impact that COVID-19 is having on the sector and its workers. However, we do not comment on discussions held with individual companies, as this information is commercially sensitive.
The Government recognises the challenging times facing the aviation sector as a result of COVID-19. The aviation sector is important to the UK economy and will be able to draw upon the unprecedented package of measures announced by the Chancellor and on May 12, the Government announced that the Coronavirus Job Retention scheme would be extended for four months, until the end of October. Until the end of July, there will be no change. From August to October, the scheme will continue for all sectors and regions of the UK, but with greater flexibility to support the transition back to work.
In response to COVID-19 the Department for Work and Pensions have established an alternative service to their usual face to face offer. People will be able to access redundancy help and job search advice on the Department’s new Job Help campaign website. There’s also information on Gov.uk and updated information packs provided to employers to help them signpost employees to the support that is available.
Asked by: Harriet Harman (Labour - Camberwell and Peckham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will implement the provisions of the Equality Act 2010 in relation to reasonable adjustments and accessible transport for disabled people.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Government’s approach to improving disabled people’s access to public transport was set out in the 2018 Inclusive Transport Strategy. A summary of the progress made in implementing the Strategy was published in July 2019. More recently, the Secretary of State has declared his ambition to go further and measures will be set out in due course.
The transport provisions in the Equality Act continue to make a significant difference to the lives of disabled people, by helping them to travel independently. The Act has helped ensure, among other things, that the great majority of buses and trains are accessible, and has prevented taxi and private hire drivers from charging passengers extra or refusing them service because they use an assistance dog or wheelchair. The Department will keep under review the possibility of commencing those sections of Part 12 of the Equality Act that are not yet in force.
Asked by: Harriet Harman (Labour - Camberwell and Peckham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, if she will reintroduce section 40 of the Equality Act 2010 on third party harassment.
Answered by Elizabeth Truss
The Government has recently consulted on how best to strengthen and clarify the law on workplace third party harassment and will publish its response in due course.
Asked by: Harriet Harman (Labour - Camberwell and Peckham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the the level of aircraft noise sleep disturbance impact in Camberwell and Peckham constituency; and what progress he has made on limiting or reducing the number of people significantly affected by aircraft noise at night.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
The Government has not made any assessment of the level of aircraft noise sleep disturbance impact in Camberwell and Peckham constituency. The Government limits night flights at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted and will be consulting later this year on the regime to apply at these airports from 2022.
The current Air Traffic Management and Unmanned Aircraft Bill will also grant the Secretary of State new powers to ensure that airports modernise their airspace, delivering quicker, quieter and cleaner journeys. Modernising flight paths and the infrastructure of the sky will help reduce CO2 emissions from aviation, minimise noise for those near flight-paths and improve punctuality for passengers.
Asked by: Harriet Harman (Labour - Camberwell and Peckham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his Department's timescale is for completion of the Access for All programme lift installation at Peckham Rye Station.
Answered by Grant Shapps - Secretary of State for Defence
We will be able to confirm the completion date once detailed designs are complete, and construction scheduled to ensure minimal disruption to passengers.
Asked by: Harriet Harman (Labour - Camberwell and Peckham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to aircraft noise nuisance, which communities will receive compensation and noise insulation as a result of the third runway at Heathrow airport; and on what criteria that decision was based.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Airports National Policy Statement sets an expectation that, in addition to controlling and reducing aircraft noise impacts, an applicant for development consent for a Northwest Runway at Heathrow Airport will be required to commit appropriate resources to mitigate the impacts of aircraft through noise insulation programmes for both private homes and public buildings.
It notes that Heathrow Airport Ltd (HAL) has publicly committed, following third party assessments, to provide full acoustic insulation for residential property within the full single mode easterly and westerly 60dB LAeq (16hr) noise contour of an expanded airport; and to provide a contribution of up to £3,000 for acoustic insulation for residential properties within the full single mode easterly and westerly 57dB LAeq (16hr) or the full 55dB Lden noise contours of an expanded airport, whichever is the bigger. In addition, HAL has committed to deliver a programme of noise insulation and ventilation for schools and community buildings within the 60dB LAeq (16hr) contour.
The geographical areas that the scheme could cover is dependent on flight paths for an expanded Heathrow Airport. Preparations for the airspace change process are complex and will take some years to work through.
In considering the case for expansion the Department commissioned a review of strategies adopted by international airports to mitigate the impact of airports on residents. In considering the scheme proposed by HAL the review found the schemes to be comparable to those on offer in other countries.
Asked by: Harriet Harman (Labour - Camberwell and Peckham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to reduce the noise nuisance from planes flying over South East London to or from (a) Heathrow and (b) London City Airport.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government’s airspace modernisation framework will allow the industry to deliver airspace changes that will make journeys quicker, quieter and cleaner.
The Government has secured international agreements that incentivise the development of quieter aircraft and there are several new types of aircraft now coming into service that will be significantly quieter than their predecessors.
The Government is currently consulting on a number of sustainable growth proposals within a new aviation strategy, including considering setting targets for noise reduction, and how best to monitor and report aviation noise at a national level.
In relation to Heathrow, in 2017 the Government renewed the airport’s night flight restrictions, maintaining the number of movements but significantly reducing the amount of noise an airport is allowed to make.
Asked by: Harriet Harman (Labour - Camberwell and Peckham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take steps to reduce flight path concentration over the London borough of Southwark.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Airports are responsible for the specific arrangements for low-level flightpaths. All proposals to alter these arrangements must follow the Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) airspace change process which was revised in 2018, following the publication by the Department of revised air navigation guidance.
This guidance requires airports who are seeking to make alterations to their flightpath arrangements to consult with those communities who may be affected by the proposed changes.
A key requirement set out in the guidance is the need for airspace change sponsors to consider the use of multiple flightpaths to disperse air traffic, as well as undertaking a full assessment of the airspace options they are considering.
The Government continues to encourage airports to work with their local communities to identify possible options that may reduce the overall adverse health impacts arising from aircraft noise.
Asked by: Harriet Harman (Labour - Camberwell and Peckham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many flights flew over the London Borough of Southwark in each of the last three years.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Department does not record or hold this type of information.
Airspace use is complex and it is very difficult to assess the level of air traffic over a given area. However, specific airports may be able to provide details of the level of their air traffic which impacts on certain communities.
Asked by: Harriet Harman (Labour - Camberwell and Peckham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to reduce noise pollution as a result of the operation a third runway at Heathrow Airport.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government sets noise controls at Heathrow Airport, including total noise limits and aircraft movement limits for night flights.
These controls, in conjunction with stricter aircraft noise standards negotiated by the UK at the international level, have resulted in a long-term reduction in the number of people affected by aircraft noise near the airport.
Following the designation of the Airports National Policy Statement, it is now down to an applicant for development consent for a Northwest runway scheme to undertake a detailed assessment of the environmental effects of their scheme, and to put forward an appropriate package of mitigation measures. The Airports National Policy Statement makes clear that the Government expects noise mitigation measures to limit, and where possible reduce, the effect of aircraft noise. It also sets out specific mitigations for aircraft noise which the Government expects to see delivered. These include the applicant putting forward plans for a noise envelope which is tailored to local priorities and includes noise performance targets; developing plans for a runway alternation scheme that provides communities affected with predictable periods of respite; and an expectation that the applicant will adopt a ban on scheduled night flights for a period of six and a half hours.
These supporting measures are subject to consultation and will be finalised through the planning process. The application will then be considered by the Planning Inspectorate and the Secretary of State in determining any application for development consent.