Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will extend the scope of EU Regulation 598/2014 relating to noise-related operating restrictions at Scottish Airports to include management of aircraft noise for communities who currently within the area of the proposed competent authorities but are badly affected by noise from the two main Scottish airports.

EU Regulation 598/2014 establishes rules and procedures with regard to the introduction of noise-related operating restrictions at EU airports. This includes the appointment of a competent authority in relation to the operating restrictions.

A competent authority’s role relates to the operating restriction itself and is not bound by geography. The Government’s implementation of this Regulation for Scotland, The Airports (Noise-Related Operating Restrictions) (Scotland) Regulations 2019, laid before Parliament has been brought forward by the UK Government because this is a reserved matter in relation to Scotland. The Regulations designate Scottish Ministers as the competent authority for Scottish airports within the scope of the regulation.