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 the announced expansion of the Stansted airport on net zero targets.

The Government is not opposed to airport expansion as long as it contributes to economic growth and is compatible with strict environmental standards. We are committed to achieving the UK’s net zero target by 2050 and have made early progress on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) through the introduction of a mandate from 1 January 2025 and our plans to legislate for a SAF revenue certainty mechanism. We are also committed to airspace modernisation.

Details of the proposals to expand Stansted Airport and the assessment of its impacts, including environmental impacts, were carefully considered as part of the statutory planning process. Its impacts, including environmental impacts, were carefully assessed as part of the statutory planning process held between January and March 2021.

The independent Planning Inspectorate granted planning approval in June 2021 and a copy of its decision notice and statement of reasons, including views on its impacts on environmental obligations can be found here.