Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to undertake a review of the Airports National Policy Statement under section 6 of the Planning Act 2008.

On 27 February 2020 the Court of Appeal ruled that, when designating the Airports National Policy Statement, the previous government did not take account of the Paris Agreement, non-CO₂ emissions and emissions post-2050. As part of its judgment, the Court has declared that the Airports National Policy Statement is of no legal effect unless and until the Government carries out a review under the Planning Act 2008.

The Government has taken the decision not to appeal the Court of Appeal’s judgment.

The Court’s judgment is complex and requires careful consideration. The Government will set out its next steps in due course.