Asked by: Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 4 June 2019 to Question 256996 on regional airports: air pollution, what criteria his Department uses to define material impact in determining how a project affects the Government's ability to meet its carbon reductions target.
Answered by Michael Ellis
The Government recognises that climate change is one of the most urgent and pressing challenges we face and we are working to ensure the UK takes a leading role in tackling it.
In December 2018 the Government published a green paper consultation for a new aviation strategy, ‘Aviation 2050 – The future of UK aviation’. It commits the Government to ensure that the aviation sector plays its part by limiting greenhouse gas emissions and contributing to achieving the UK’s domestic and international climate change obligations.
The green paper also includes a proposal that “planning applications for capacity growth provide a full assessment of emissions, drawing on all feasible, cost-effective measures to limit their climate impact and demonstrate that their project will not have a material impact on the Government’s ability to meet its carbon reduction targets”. However, this proposal is still subject to consultation and is not yet the Government’s policy. The consultation closes on 20 June.
On 2 May the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) published advice to government, recommending the UK legislates for a 2050 net zero greenhouse gas emissions target. We await aviation specific advice from the CCC and will take this into consideration in the development of Aviation 2050, which is due to be published later this year.
Asked by: Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with (a) the Health and Safety Executive and (b) Public Health England on the effect of aircraft noise on mental health.
Answered by Michael Ellis
Officials from the Department have regular discussions with Public Health England to discuss a range of matters, including issues relating to the effect of aircraft noise on mental health. Recent discussions include engagement in the development of the Government’s Aviation Strategy and PHE officials sit on the Department’s Airspace and Noise Engagement Group.
Ministers and officials have not had any recent discussions with the Health and Safety Executive.
Asked by: Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he as had with (a) the Health and Safety Executive and (b) Public Health England on the effect of aircraft noise on the health of communities under proposed flight paths.
Answered by Michael Ellis
Officials from my Department have regular discussions with Public Health England (PHE) to discuss a range of matters, including issues relating to the effect of aircraft noise on the health of communities under proposed flight paths. Recent discussions include engagement in the development of the Government’s Aviation Strategy and PHE officials sit on the Department’s Airspace and Noise Engagement Group.
Ministers and officials have not had any recent discussions with the Health and Safety Executive.
Asked by: Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential requirement for public funding to contribute to the construction of Heathrow's third runway.
Answered by Michael Ellis
The Government is clear that the Northwest Runway scheme at Heathrow will be financed in its entirety by the private sector. Ahead of the decision to designate the Airports National Policy Statement (NPS) the Government and its independent expert advisors concluded that, so far as can be assessed at this early stage of the process, Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL) is able to privately finance expansion without Government support.
The Airports Commission also concluded that the scheme is financeable without Government support.
Asked by: Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of a target of net zero carbon emissions by 2050 on the expansion of Heathrow Airport.
Answered by Michael Ellis
The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) published its report recommending a new target for the UK of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 on 2 May 2019. We now need to carefully consider this advice and the recommended policy approach for aviation that the CCC will produce later in 2019.
The Airports National Policy Statement sets out several strict environmental red lines that must be delivered for a third runway to gain development consent. These include no expansion if the applicant cannot demonstrate that the scheme would not materially impact the UK’s ability to meet its carbon reduction targets.
Asked by: Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department plans to restrict the operation of regional airports to meet UK climate change targets.
Answered by Michael Ellis
In its Aviation 2050 consultation, the Government recognises that regional airports are often vital drivers for local economies, providing connectivity, employment, and a hub for local transport schemes. The consultation sets out proposals to ensure the sector grows sustainably, taking measures to mitigate its environmental impacts, including limiting carbon emissions.
The Government is proposing that applications for future growth will be required to provide a full assessment of emissions, drawing on all feasible, cost-effective measures to limit their climate impact and demonstrating that their project will not have a material impact on the Government’s ability to meet its carbon reductions target.
Asked by: Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential effectiveness of the level of the proposed penalty to be imposed on Heathrow airport in the event that it does not increase the number of passengers using public transport to access the airport by the time a third runway is operational.
Answered by Michael Ellis
The Airports National Policy Statement is clear that any application for development consent must include details of how the applicant will achieve a wide range of mitigations, including public transport mode share targets.
Mitigations included in a Development Consent Order or recommended as a result of examination will become requirements that are enforceable under the Planning Act 2008. The detail of these requirements, including any penalties, will flow from the planning process, but could include financial provision for remedial measures or operating restrictions. A breach of any requirement without reasonable excuse would be a criminal offence, and there are wide-ranging powers for the relevant planning authority to investigate and intervene should there be any breach, including by injunctions.
Asked by: Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with (a) the Health and Safety Executive and (b) Public Health England on the effect on health of aircraft noise.
Answered by Michael Ellis
Officials from the Department have regular discussions with Public Health England to discuss a range of matters, including issues relating to the effect of aircraft noise on health. Recent discussions include engagement in the development of the Government’s Aviation Strategy and PHE officials sit on the Department’s Airspace and Noise Engagement Group.
Ministers and officials have not had any recent discussions with the Health and Safety Executive.
Asked by: Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish the (a) dates on and (b) reports of all recorded (i) safety breaches and (ii) safety incidents involving (A) the Thames Clipper fleet and (B) other passenger boats on the River Thames since 2010.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
Operators are required to report certain incidents to the MCA and the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB). The MCA will liaise with the operator directly and no formal reports are published.
Between the beginning of 2010 and the end of 2018, the MAIB received reports of 44 accidents and incidents on the River Thames in the Greater London area that involved vessels in the Thames Clipper fleet and 190 accidents and incidents involving other passenger vessels on the Thames (excluding large sea-going vessels e.g. cruise ships). Investigations are carried out where the MAIB believes there are lessons for the industry to learn and then publishes reports on its investigations online.
Asked by: Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he last met the (a) Royal Botanic Gardens and (b) Historic Royal Palaces to discuss the potential effect of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s proposals for older UK passenger boats on tourism and visitor numbers at (i) Kew Gardens and (ii) Kew Palace.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) consulted upon an Impact Assessment (IA) during a public consultation which ran from 6 November 2018 to 29 January 2019. Consultees were invited to comment on the validity of the analysis in the IA and encouraged to provide information that would help to strengthen this. The IA is now being updated to reflect the range of further information provided through consultee feedback.
This process is ongoing and policy officials in the MCA are happy to discuss impacts with any interested parties and take onboard relevant evidence for the assessment.