SASIG March 2016 Bulletin

March has been a busy month. Firstly, at the UK’s airports where strong growth continues and year-on-year passenger numbers passed 250m for the first time (although the associated capacity issues were emphasised by materially higher delay figures). Secondly, in Parliament where there were a large number of aviation related PQ’s asked, a Regional Aviation APPG was formed and the Transport Committee reported on airport surface access issues. Thirdly, for SASIG, where the Chair and Secretariat have been busy on your behalf leading a delegation to meet with the Aviation Minister Robert Goodwill MP on 14 March (please see the note of this meeting circulated on 1/4/16), we have been represented at DfT Noise and Airspace Policy focus groups (a report back will be provided at forthcoming meetings) and we have also now been approached by the CAA about their own consultation on the airspace change decision-making process.

As the Secretariat has begun to reach out to different Government Departments and potential partners amongst other stakeholder groups, the feedback has been very responsive and positive, whether from the industry in the form of Sustainable Aviation, statutory bodies such as the Gatwick Consultative Committee or environmental Groups such as AEF. There is no doubt that the SASIG voice is recognised and valued within Government and its agencies, and that consequently, working with key partners, that it has the opportunity to influence, shape and in some cases potentially also lead aviation policy making, at a time when the policy-making process it is likely to be at its most active since the last White Paper.

It looks increasingly likely, for example, that the Airports Commission was just the start of a much longer process probably running through 2016, 2017 and into 2018, in which the Airports Policy Framework published in 2013 will be overhauled, a new National Policy Statement will be drawn-up, and a DCO will be submitted for a new South East runway. There will be significant consultations on each of these pieces of the jigsaw, to be followed by substantive parliamentary processes and ultimately Ministerial decisions. In addition, the Devolved Administrations will all seek to adjust the existing APD regime so that it has less impact on air services to their areas, and important commitments about airports can be expected as part of the transport infrastructure improvements package for the Northern Powerhouse.

With all this activity in prospect, and SASIG being offered the opportunity to play a meaningful role in the policy-making process on behalf of local authorities across England, as agreed at the 4 March SASIG meeting the Secretariat has moved to set up three Technical Working Groups. These are: Surface Access and other Infrastructure; Airspace Planning and Environment; and City Growth and Economic Development. They will meet during April and early May to begin discussions on key policy issues and to develop a SASIG position on those considered to be most important to the membership. A note giving more details on these meetings was sent out on Friday, 1 April.

So a longer than usual editorial for this issue of the Newsletter, but there is much to report; I hope you find it of interest.

Chris Cain,
Head of Secretariat

MONTHLY HIGHLIGHTS

• Record year on year passenger figures at UK airports – 250m; but delays at 5 year high
• Future of the Regional Air Connectivity Fund (Parliamentary Question 3)
• Night Flights Consultation to commence shortly (Parliamentary Question 10)
• Former CEO of LOCOG, Lord Deighton appointed new Chairman of Heathrow Airport Ltd
• Manchester Airport says plans to connect major northern cities to the airport by rail are ‘crucial to Northern Powerhouse’
• CAA begins consultation on revised airspace change process
• Dudley BC replaces Surrey CC as Treasurer for SASIG
• SASIG delegation met the Minister for Aviation

QUESTION 1: Question asked by Henry Smith (Crawley) on 1^st March 2016: “To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on reducing Air Passenger Duty”.
A: Question answered by Damian Hinds on 7^th March 2016:
“In the absence of any taxation of international aviation fuel and no VAT on international or domestic flights, Air Passenger Duty (APD) ensures that the aviation sector plays its part in contributing towards general taxation and helping to bring down the deficit. In 2014-15, APD raised £3.2bn, an important part of the Government’s tax revenues.
Nevertheless, the Government has recently made reforms to APD to cut the longest haul rates and exempt children, reducing the tax burden by £1.5 billion over the period 2015-2020. Like all taxes, APD is kept under review with any changes announced at fiscal events.”
QUESTION 2: Question asked by Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield) on 29^th February 2016: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what (a) projects and (b) funding was allocated to the Civil Aviation Authority for research on noise in each of the last five years.”
A: Question answered by Mr Robert Goodwill on 3^rd March 2016:
“The Department for Transport (DfT) funds the Environmental, Research and Consultancy Department of the CAA for work on aviation noise.
Over the last 5 financial years the funding provided by the DfT was as follows:

• 2011/12 £725,460
• 2012/13 £760,087
• 2013/14 £694,712
• 2014/15 £613,267
• 2015/16 £712,000 (forecast for year end)

Over these 5 years the funding has been used to:

• Provide annual noise contours for Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted;
• Maintain the ANCON noise model which is used to estimate noise exposure;
• Technical support to DFT’s Aircraft Noise Management Advisory Committee;
• Evidence to support policy consultations including the night flying restrictions at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted;
• Evidence and support to DfT in negotiating noise and emission standards for aircraft within the International Civil Aviation Organisation;
• Monitoring relevant research in the field of health and annoyance impacts of aviation noise.”

QUESTION 3: Question asked by Richard Burden (Birmingham Northfield) on 23rd February 2016. “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much of the Regional Connectivity Fund has not yet been allocated.”
A: Question answered by Mr Robert Goodwill on 2nd March 2016:
“The Regional Air Connectivity Fund was announced by the previous Government to provide up to £20 million annually to maintain existing domestic air routes to London that may be withdrawn, and to support new air routes from airports handling fewer than 5 million passengers per annum though start-up aid. The Government has already made £5.2 million available to maintain the existing air links between Dundee and Stansted airports, and between Newquay and Gatwick airports, and will continue to consider support for other routes that may be withdrawn. In addition, the Department last year undertook a tender process for airlines to bid for funding for start-up aid for new air routes. A total of eleven bids were received and the government announced last November that up to £7 million would be provided to support all eleven routes. It is now for the airlines to start operating these routes, with payments from the fund made upon delivery of the agreed service. We are now considering whether to take forward further start-up funding rounds and will make an announcement later this year.”

QUESTION 4: Question asked by Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield) on 26th February 2016:  “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with the new owners of London City Airport; what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the sale of that airport on airport capacity in the South East; and if he will make a statement.”
A: Question answered by Mr Robert Goodwill on 2^nd March 2016:
“There have been no discussions with the new owners of London City Airport. The purchase of London City Airport is a commercial matter between the relevant parties.”

QUESTION 5: Question asked by Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield) on 25th February 2016: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if the Prime Minister will make an assessment of the potential merits of each proposal on noise mitigation from aviation in the letter to him of 18 February 2016 from the Aviation Environment Federation.”
A: Question answered by Robert Goodwill on 1^st March 2016:
“As part of the Government’s ongoing review of noise and airspace policies it will consider the proposals set out the Aviation Environment Federation’s letter to the Prime Minister of 18 February.”

QUESTION 6: Question asked by Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield) on 21st March 2016: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Government’s review of the Davies Commission on Aviation capacity in the South East includes an assessment of the costs and benefits of government investment in aviation biofuel.”
A: Question answered by Robert Goodwill on 24^th March 2016:
“The Government continues to consider the large amount of very detailed analysis contained in the Airports Commission’s final report, including on reducing carbon emissions from an expanded airport, before taking any decisions on next steps. Separate to the work on airport capacity, the Government is also assessing the benefits of making aviation biofuels eligible for the incentives which currently apply to biofuels used in road transport through the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO). We aim to publish a consultation on legislative amendments to this scheme later this year including proposals for aviation biofuel.”

QUESTION 7: Question asked by Julian Sturdy (York Outer): “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential economic impact of building a third runway at Heathrow on the North and Yorkshire”.
A: Question answered by Robert Goodwill on 23^rd March:
“The Government continues to consider the large amount of very detailed analysis contained in the Airports Commission’s final report before taking any decisions on next steps.”

QUESTION 8: Question asked by Ruth Cadbury (Brentford and Isleworth) on 18th March: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to paragraph 5.13 of the Airports Commission: Final Report, published in July 2015, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the finding that 431 hectares of green belt designated land would be required for the proposed third runway at Heathrow.”
A: Question answered by Robert Goodwill on 23^rd March: “In December 2015, the Government announced that it would start preparing the building blocks for an Airports National Policy Statement. The National Policy statement will be informed by an Appraisal of Sustainability which will look at all relevant social, economic and environmental impacts of airport expansion.”

A: Question answered by Robert Goodwill on 23^rd March:
“Heathrow Airport Ltd (HAL) has monitored air quality since 1993 at its site located near the northern runway (LHR2), however this does not provide official data for Defra’s national air quality monitoring network – The Automatic Urban and Rural Network (AURN).
Heathrow also now monitors air quality at three other sites around the airport — Harlington, Longford (Green Gates) and Stanwell (Oaks Road). The Harlington site is included within AURN. Further information is available on the Heathrow Airwatch website at: http://www.heathrowairwatch.org.uk/”

QUESTION 10: Question asked by Ruth Cadbury (Brentford and Isleworth) on 17th March: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what timetable he has set for a consultation on the night flight operations perimeters at Heathrow Airport to replace the existing agreement after October 2017.”
A: Question answered by Robert Goodwill on 22^nd March: “The Government plans to carry out a two stage consultation to review the current night flight restrictions. The first stage will be a call for evidence and we expect to publish this shortly.”

QUESTION 11: Question asked by Ruth Cadbury (Brentford and Isleworth) on 17th March: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department’s work on assessing the three airport options proposed by the Airport’s Commission includes a review of the safety and security risks associated with an (a) additional or extended runway at Heathrow and (b) additional runway at Gatwick Airport.”
A: “The Government continues to consider the large amount of very detailed analysis contained in the Airports Commission’s final report before taking any decisions on next steps.”

QUESTION 12: Question asked by Ruth Cadbury (Brentford and Isleworth) on 14th March: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which organisation or company has been commissioned to conduct further environmental impact studies regarding possible expansions at (a) Heathrow and (b) Gatwick Airport.”
A: Question answered by Robert Goodwill on 17^th March: “WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff have been contracted by the Department for Transport. Their contract is available on https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/17ffaddc-3c19-4462-91ae-bf30029c08d9.”

QUESTION 13: Question asked by Andrew Bridgen (North West Leicestershire) on 22nd March: “To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the effect on (a) English airports and (b) aviation connectivity of the devolution of Air Passenger Duty.”
A: Question answered by Damian Hinds on 29^th March:
“Any potential effects of Air Passenger Duty (APD) devolution are contingent on the extent of devolution in the UK and subsequent decisions made by devolved administrations and central government. The Government is delivering the Smith Agreement by devolving APD to the Scottish Parliament. It is also considering the case and options for devolving APD to Wales, informed by a review of options to support English regional airports from potential impacts caused by its devolution. As part of this review, HM Treasury published a discussion paper at Summer Budget 2015 exploring a number of options. We are carefully considering the evidence received from stakeholders and will respond in due course.”

QUESTION 2: Question asked by Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield) on 29^th February 2016: “To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what (a) projects and (b) funding was allocated to the Civil Aviation Authority for research on noise in each of the last five years.”
A: Question answered by Mr Robert Goodwill on 3^rd March 2016:
“The Department for Transport (DfT) funds the Environmental, Research and Consultancy Department of the CAA for work on aviation noise.
Over the last 5 financial years the funding provided by the DfT was as follows: