Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Independent Commission on Civil Aviation Noise's report entitled Review of the Survey of Noise Attitudes 2014, published in 2019, if he will make an assessment of the potential effects on levels of aircraft noise of a third runway at Heathrow.

Expansion at Heathrow is conditional on the implementation of a robust set of noise mitigations. These requirements are set out in the Airports National Policy Statement, which was designated following a vote in the House of Commons and include: minimising noise impacts so they are no greater than 2013 levels, a noise envelope, more predictable periods of respite and an expected ban of 6.5 hours on scheduled night flights.

It is now for an applicant for development consent to demonstrate to the Planning Inspectorate, with input from statutory consultees, that it can meet these requirements through a detailed assessment of all environmental impacts of their scheme, including demonstrating that noise mitigation measures will be effective.

The government continues to keep evidence on noise impacts under review through its expert group, the Interdepartmental Group on Costs and Benefits of Noise (IGCB(N)), and will consider carefully any recommendations from this process.