Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of Heathrow Airport (a) expansion and (b) increased flight traffic on reducing emissions to meet net-zero targets.

The government is committed to reaching net zero by 2050 and meeting our climate change obligations, as set out in the Climate Change Act. Delivering greener transport to help make Britain a clean energy superpower is a Department for Transport priority.

DfT analysis shows that we can achieve net zero 2050 for aviation under a range of assumptions about future technology development.

We have been clear that any airport expansion proposals will need to demonstrate they contribute to economic growth and can be delivered in line with the UK’s legally binding climate change commitments, as well as meeting strict air quality and noise standards.