Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department assessed the potential health impacts of aircraft noise between 5,000 and 7,000 feet before lowering the noise altitude threshold from 7k to 5k in the Air Navigation Guidance 2026.

The government consulted on changes to the Air Navigation Directions and Air Navigation Guidance from 25 November 2025 to 26 January 2026 and a draft impact assessment was published alongside the consultation. Responses to the consultation were carefully considered before finalising the proposals and on 10 August 2026 the government published updated Air Navigation Directions and Air Navigation Guidance. A consultation response document was published alongside this which summarised the responses received, how the government had considered the evidence presented and the changes made as a result. An updated Impact assessment was published on the same date.

The consultation response included how the government had analysed responses relating to how to balance minimising noise impacts and reducing Greenhouse gas emissions in airspace design.