Contents
Regional News
Industry News
House of Commons Questions
House of Lords Questions
Regional News
17 March 2015 – Heathrow Airport has issued a strong statement explaining that they had not been informed by NATS Ltd. (National Air Traffic Control) about critical changes to flight paths that took place west of the airport in June 2014. Residents in the affected areas – Ascot, Binfield, Virginia Water and Bracknell – have consistently complained about the increase in flights over their areas. Heathrow Airport admitted that trials had taken later in 2014 but argued that now that the trials have finished, things have returned to normal.
19 March 2015 – PriceWaterhouse Coopers (PwC) have been appointed to review the process so far on decisions about the future of Manston Airport, Transport Minister John Hayes announced. The appointment of PwC is part of the government’s commitment to support Thanet District Council in their efforts to secure Manston’s future. The Kent airport closed on 15 May 2014 and the council has subsequently been considering options for keeping it open. The Prime Minister made a commitment to do everything he can to help. Transport Minister John Hayes has met with key participants including the council, local MPs and residents to find a path for progress.
Industry News
17 March 2015 – Following a change made by NATS to the way aircraft are directed within the airspace southwest of the airport, NATS has agreed to Heathrow Airport’s request to urgently review the way they share information with the airport about changes which may alter the pattern of aircraft over communities living around the airport. On 27 June 2014 NATS made a procedural change affecting the Compton route, one of the six departure routes used at Heathrow during periods of easterly winds. Heathrow was unaware of this change. The Compton route is used by 16% of departing aircraft turning west when the airport is on easterly operations, equating to around 6 per cent of total departures. Other departure routes are not affected.
17 March 2015 – The National Connectivity Task Force published the report, ‘Air Connectivity Matters‘.
House of Commons Questions
Mcrea, W – Northern Ireland Executive and air passenger duty
13 March 2015
William McCrea (South Antrim, Democratic Unionist Party): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on air passenger duty.
Priti Patel (Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, Witham, Conservative): Treasury Ministers and officials have regular discussions with Northern Ireland Executive Ministers and officials on a wide variety of topics. Any further devolution of air passenger duty to Northern Ireland, as a means to achieve a reduction in rates, would need to be funded by the Northern Ireland Executive.
Afriyie, A – Effects of aviation noise around Heathrow Airport on productivity
17 March 2015
Adam Afriyie (Windsor, Labour): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect of noise from aircraft taking off or landing at Heathrow on productivity in (a) schools in the Thames Valley and (b) businesses in the Thames Valley.
Robert Goodwill (Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, Scarborough and Whitby, Conservative): No such specific assessment has been made. The Government keeps under review all research carried out on the impacts of aircraft noise on health and sleep disturbance, including any effects on productivity, and would take this into account when considering the costs and benefits of any relevant policy or regulatory proposals. As part of the last review of night flying restrictions at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted Airports, my Department commissioned the Civil Aviation Authority to undertake a review of literature on these impacts. The CAA published this review in January 2013 (Report ERCD 1208 on Aircraft Noise, Sleep Disturbance and Health Effects) and updated it in June 2014 (Report CAP 1164).
Afriyie, A – Letters supporting and opposing expansion at Heathrow Airport
17 March 2015
Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many letters he has received from local authorities (a) supporting and (b) opposing proposals for the expansion of Heathrow in the last five years.
Robert Goodwill: Our records indicate that from 2010 to now the Department received 1670 letters which mention Heathrow airport. These records are not logged by local authority or in terms of support/opposition to Heathrow expansion and to provide this information would be at disproportionate cost.
Afriyie, A – Night flights at Heathrow Airport
17 March 2015
Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many times the management of Heathrow Airport have used dispensations under section 78(4) of the Civil Aviation Act to allow night flights in the last five years.
Robert Goodwill: Heathrow Airport publishes this information in its Flight Performance Reports which are available on its website. Its latest published report (Q3 2014) includes data from Winter season 2006/07 up to and including Winter season 2013/14. Dispensations issued under section 78(4) of the Civil Aviation Act are categorised in the report as ‘not counted – delays’ or ‘not counted – emergency’. In Summer season 2014 there were a further 296 dispensations issued under section 78(4).
Afriyie, A – Breach of night flight restrictions at Heathrow Airport
17 March 2015
Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many aircraft taking off or landing at Heathrow Airport breached night flight restrictions in (a) 2012, (b) 2013 and (c) 2014.
Robert Goodwill: Night flying restrictions set by the Government at Heathrow comprise a movement limit and a noise quota limit set for each summer and winter season. Up to 10% of unused movements or noise quota may be carried over to the next season. The limits apply to the period 23.30-06.00. There are additional restrictions on movements by the noisiest aircraft in the period 23.00-07.00. None of these restrictions was breached between 2012-2014. In addition the Government sets departure noise limits which include lower limits at night. Infringements of these limits are reported in Heathrow’s Flight Performance Reports published on its website, the latest of which covers the period up to the end of September 2014.
Mcrea, W – Decision on a third runways at Heathrow Airport
17 March 2015
William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he will decide whether or not a third runway is approved at Heathrow Airport.
Robert Goodwill: The Government has set up the Airports Commission to examine the question of how best to maintain the UK’s international hub connectivity. As its Interim Report shows, the Airports Commission has shortlisted two options at Heathrow Airport as well as an option at Gatwick for further study. The Commission’s final report is due to be submitted to Government in summer 2015. The Government’s principle concern is to protect the integrity and independence of the Commission through to the final report and will not be commenting on its ongoing work.
House of Lords Questions
Lord Avebury – Heathrow Airport Terminal 4 refurbishment
16 March 2015
Lord Avebury (Liberal Democrat peer): To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they now expect to begin the refurbishment of short-term holding facilities at Heathrow Terminal 4; and if no firm date can be named, whether they will provide showers within the existing facilities.
Lord Bates (Conservative peer): The design for a new facility at Heathrow Terminal 4 has been agreed but is still subject to contractor agreement and final sign off. During the course of the work, space currently occupied by Public Health England will be converted into a temporary holding room. Heathrow Airport Limited, Border Force and Detention Operations are currently finalising the specifications for this temporary facility. The current planned design for this interim facility includes a shower.
Lord Avebury – Detention Operations and Border Force with Heathrow Airports Limited
16 March 2015
Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what has been the outcome of the work by Detention Operations and Border Force with Heathrow Airports Limited on temporary alternatives for the spaces currently used for ebola screening at Heathrow, which had been designated as short-term holding facilities.
Lord Bates: Border Force has recently negotiated an agreement with Public Health England (PHE) for use of their accommodation at Terminals 3, 4 and 5 as temporary holding room space. PHE accommodation at T3 and T5 will be shared with Detention Operations, while the accommodation at T4 will be entirely vacated. Heathrow Airport Limited, in conjunction with Detention Operations and Border Force, is working with their contractor to finalise the specifications for each temporary holding room. Discussions are now taking place to determine the phasing of this work and associated timescales.
The Countess of Mar – Susceptibility to enviromental toxins
17 March 2015
The Countess of Mar (Crossbench peer): To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport, Robert Goodwill, on 5 March, what evidence is currently being reviewed by the Civil Aviation Authority in respect of the possibility of genetic factors which might influence individual susceptibility to environmental toxins.
Baroness Kramer (Minister of State for Transport, Liberal Democrat Peer): The Civil Aviation Authority are reviewing the issue of genetic susceptibility to toxins in the context of documents provided by Dorset Coroner’s office.
The Countess of Mar – Fume events in Cranfield University study
17 March 2015
The Countess of Mar: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, Robert Goodwill, on 4 March, how many fume events occurred in flights observed by researchers conducting the Cranfield University study; whether the available health and safety standards and guidelines include the effects of pyrolised oil at temperatures exceeding 400 degrees Celsius in an enclosed space; and what assessment they have made of the advice from the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment that contaminated air is causing ill health but that they do not know the mechanism by which it has that effect.
Baroness Kramer: A total of 38 flights had fumes or smells reported by at least one crew member or researcher during the Cranfield study. The Health and Safety Executive are responsible for introducing guidelines on health and safety at work legislation. However, the Cranfield study found that with respect to the conditions of flight that were experienced during the cabin air sampling, there was no evidence for pollutants occurring in cabin air at levels exceeding available health and safety standards and guidelines. The Committee on Toxicity (the COT) made a number of conclusions in their assessment. The Department welcomed these and forwarded the COT report to the European Aviation Safety Agency for their information
Lord Birt – Number of passengers at UK Border Agency control points
19 March 2015
Lord Birt (Crossbench peer): To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the average number of passengers per hour passing through a single manned Border Agency control point at Heathrow Terminal 3 at peak times, and how that rate compares with the flow through a single electronic passport point at the same terminal at the same time.
Lord Bates: UK Border Agency was abolished in March 2013. It is not possible to readily provide a direct like for like comparison of the average number of passengers passing through a single manned control compared to the average number passing through an ePassport (electronic) gate at peak times. One assistant Border Force Officer is able to monitor a bank of five ePassport Gates, dealing with a greater volume of passengers, compared to one Border Force Officer operating a single manual desk. Border Force has a programme in place to roll out new and faster ePassport gates at key UK ports including Heathrow. This will allow Border Force to deal with an increased number of passengers effectively and efficiently whilst maintaining border security.
SASIG Parliamentary, Regional&Industry News Bulletin 16 March – 22 March
The Parliamentary information in this Bulletin is sourced from De Havilland Information Services plc .