Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the total financial liability to the Government of the construction of a third runway at Heathrow.
The Government is clear that the construction of the Northwest Runway at Heathrow will be financed entirely by the private sector. There is no financial liability to Government and no agreement with HAL that gives rise to a right to claim for damages, losses, liabilities, costs and/or expenses or any other relief.
The Government is also absolutely clear as to its responsibilities to Parliament when a liability or, indeed, a contingent liability is incurred. On 5 June, the Government laid before Parliament a Written Ministerial Statement and Departmental Minute that set out a contingent liability for statutory blight which will be incurred if the proposed Airports NPS is designated. The liability is contingent because the Government has rightly protected the tax payer by entering into a binding agreement with Heathrow Airport Limited whereby the airport assumes the financial liability for successful blight claims, if the scheme proceeds.