Asked by: Robert Courts (Conservative - Witney)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Habitats Directive on airfield planning applications.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
The Government is supportive of airport growth where it can be delivered within its environmental obligations.
Every development proposal should be judged by the relevant planning authority, taking careful account of all relevant considerations, including environmental impacts and proposed mitigations.
Airport planning applications need to take into account the European Commission Habitats Directive where they could lead to significant impacts on areas of nature conservation, which could include a Habitat Regulations Assessment of the implications of the plans for that site.
Asked by: Robert Courts (Conservative - Witney)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of the disused Yarnton-Witney-Fairford branch line remains in the ownership of Network Rail.
Answered by Andrew Jones
Network Rail no longer owns the disused Yarnton-Witney-Fairford branch line. The Highways England Historical Railways Estate is now responsible for the historical railways estate.
Asked by: Robert Courts (Conservative - Witney)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of the disused national rail network remains in the ownership of Network Rail.
Answered by Andrew Jones
Highways England is now responsible for the vast majority of the historic railways estate. This includes legacy bridges, abutments, tunnels, cuttings, viaducts and similar properties associated with closed railway lines, and sales. Network Rail is still responsible for a small proportion of disused railway lines which have been retained due to their close proximity or connection to currently operational railway lines. Network Rail’s records however do not distinguish between disused and operational railway lines, and therefore it is not possible to precisely indicate how much disused network they own.
Asked by: Robert Courts (Conservative - Witney)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has had discussions with the Civil Aviation Authority on the implementation of Class E airspace with transponder mandatory zones in the UK; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
There have been no specific discussions with the CAA on the implementation of Class E airspace in UK. In accordance with the Air Navigation Directions 2017, the policy on the classification of airspace and its implementation lies with the independent airspace regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority.
However, as The Government continues to modernise our airspace, it needs to be mindful of longer term changes that will have an impact on wider airspace management. This includes the increasing need to enable the safe integration, rather than segregation, of all aircraft. This is why, as part of the Aviation Strategy, The Department is working with the CAA to explore a new policy on mandating electronic identification for all users.
Asked by: Robert Courts (Conservative - Witney)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has had discussions with the Civil Aviation Authority on the implementation of Class E airspace with transponder mandatory zones in the UK; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
There have been no specific discussions with the CAA on the implementation of Class E airspace in UK. In accordance with the Air Navigation Directions 2017, the policy on the classification of airspace and its implementation lies with the independent airspace regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority.
However, as The Government continues to modernise our airspace, it needs to be mindful of longer term changes that will have an impact on wider airspace management. This includes the increasing need to enable the safe integration, rather than segregation, of all aircraft. This is why, as part of the Aviation Strategy, The Department is working with the CAA to explore a new policy on mandating electronic identification for all users.
Asked by: Robert Courts (Conservative - Witney)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when his Department last audited the Civil Aviation Authority's airspace change process.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
The UK’s independent airspace regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), is responsible for its own airspace change process. However, the CAA is required to ensure that its airspace change process is consistent with the Government’s Air Navigation Guidance and Air Navigation Directions, as updated in October 2017.
Officials from the Department continue to work closely with the CAA to ensure its compliance with both the Guidance and the Directions.
Asked by: Robert Courts (Conservative - Witney)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the effect on the safety of general aviation of the use of controlled airspace.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
Aviation safety is the overarching duty of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). The CAA is the UK’s independent aviation regulator and acts as the national supervisory authority responsible for the planning and regulation of national airspace. It sets the process for change in UK airspace, and makes decisions on proposals made by sponsors to change the notified UK airspace design.
The Government has appointed Byron Davies as its first ever General Aviation Champion, in order to identify a network of strategically important airfields and to help the future development of the general aviation sector.
Asked by: Robert Courts (Conservative - Witney)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that any change to lower airspace strategy recognises the needs of all types of aviation; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
The UK's airspace modernisation programme, together with the Aviation Strategy, aims to provide a framework that enables the aviation industry, including general aviation, and communities to continue to work together to deliver a more efficient and modernised airspace, while managing the environmental effects of aviation.
The Government has also asked the Civil Aviation Authority to develop a strategy for the modernisation of the UK’s airspace, and to report annually on its delivery. This strategy will take into account the interests of all airspace users.