Contents
SASIG 2013/14 Meeting Dates
Regional News
Industry News
European News
Parliamentary News
Government News
House of Commons Questions
Media News
SASIG 2013/14 Meeting Dates
24 October 2013
7 March 2014
Meetings are held at Local Government House, Smith Square, SW1P 3HZ, location map.
Regional News
12 Oct 2013 – Councillors and business leaders in West Yorkshire have backed research to assess if Leeds Bradford Airport boosts or hinders future economic aspirations in its current location. The aviation study will assess the airport’s economic contribution and whether the economy could prosper quicker and far wider if the airport was located elsewhere. It has been commissioned by the Local Enterprise Partnership, a body which forms part of the Leeds City Region group of public and private business leaders.
13 Oct 2013 – Building work has begun at Bristol Airport on the central walkway, featuring pre-boarding zones and access to six departure gates.
13 Oct 2013 – The campaign group Stop Stansted Expansion are set to launch a legal challenge to the possible expansion of Stansted Airport. The group will formally submit a request for a judicial review to the High Court.
14 Oct 2013 – Luton Airport has achieved the internationally recognised ISO 14001:2004 certification for its commitment to environmental management.
14 Oct 2013 – British Airways Ltd are piloting the use of electronic baggage tags. The digital tags use electronic ink, the same technology as the Kindle e-reader, to display a bar code which can be scanned at the bag drop desk. The device interacts with smartphones using Near-Field Communication, meaning passengers can update flight information themselves with a swipe of their phone after checking in using the BA app.
14 Oct 2013 – Work is to start on a £56m dual carriageway linking the M18, south of Doncaster, with Robin Hood Airport. The Finningley and Rossington Regeneration Route Scheme will run 2.7 miles across South Yorkshire. Doncaster Council said the scheme would regenerate the village of Rossington, cut journey times, ease congestion and support the airport’s growth.
14 Oct 2013 – An engineering and manufacturing centre of excellence is to be created in a joint project by Coventry University and the Unipart Group. The £32m centre at Unipart’s site at Coventry Airport has been described as offering a ‘sustained programme of innovative teaching and learning, product development and research activity’.
14 Oct 2013 – Manchester Airports Group (MAG) have confirmed it is partnering with Beijing Construction Engineering Group, the Greater Manchester Pension Fund and Carillion for the Manchester Airport City project, which aims to create up to 16,000 jobs over the next 12 years. Work is set to start next year on creating 5m sq ft of offices, warehouses, hotels and leisure outlets, set to be filled by global companies moving the UK for the first time. Chief Executive of MAG, Charlie Cornish has stated that as a result of the investment he is confident the airport can secure a direct flight service to the Far East.
15 Oct 2013 – The Chief Executive of Manchester Airports Group (MAG), Charlie Cornish has said that he wants to develop Stansted Airport with two runways. Director of the development Karen Campbell has resigned citing ‘health and personal reasons’ – John Atkins, MAG Property Director, will assume the responsibilities for the Airport City development until a replacement is found.
15 Oct 2013 – Global business representative from six continents are heading to Gatwick for a UK Trade & Investment event to help local companies increase their exports. The event, ‘Going Global in a Day’, will offer one-to-one meetings for firms with heads of trade from British Embassies and High Commissions across Africa, the America’s, the Caribbean, Asia Pacific, Europe and the Middle East.
16 Oct 2013 – Wood sourced from a Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust site in Barnes will be used to power a 10 mega watt combined heat and power system at Heathrow Airport. The fuel is the product of an annual coppicing programme at the London Wetland Centre that has collected 10 tonnes of wood this year.
16 Oct 2013 – A decision about the planned western rail access to Heathrow rail project will be made by the end of the year. The Development Consent Order for the project is expected to be concluded by the end of 2015, with operation of the link expected in 2021.
17 Oct 2013 – Residents from Moss Nook, Wythenshawe, opposed to Manchester Airport’s plan to convert nearby farmland into a 9,000 space car park are meeting to discuss their concerns. Manchester City Council planning officers have recommended the surface car park is approved by Councillors
18 Oct 2013 – Plans to allow Sunday flights to the Isles of Scilly from April 2014 have been approved by Isles of Scilly Councillors. The plan was passed by 14 votes to two.
Industry News
14 Oct 2013 – Infratil, the New Zealand based infrastructure investor, has agreed to sell Manston Airport in Kent for £350 thousand to Lothian Shelf Ltd. Infratil agreed to sell the airport for £1 plus adjustment for working capital variances and cash injected by Infratil.
14 Oct 2013 – Workers from a ground handling company based at Stansted Airport have voted for strike action in a dispute over pay. Ninety-four per cent of Swissport workers balloted voted in favour of strike action.
15 Oct 2013 – NATS Ltd has undertaken a London Airspace Consultation, with changes being proposed to the flight paths that aircraft take across London and to the London airports. The consultation closes on the 21 January 2014. Full consultation documents can be found here. Gatwick Airport is also consulting on new approach and departure routes in conjunction with the NATS.
18 Oct 2013 – The Ryanair Pilot Group has called its first ever press conference to introduce itself and raise its employment concerns.
18 Oct 2013 – Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin is to visit China next week in an effort to attract flights to the UK.
18 Oct 2013 – Forecasts suggest that Dubai will become the world’s busiest airport next year, taking over from London Heathrow.
European News
16 Oct 2013 – The European Commission proposed amending the EU emissions trading system (EU ETS) so that aviation emissions would be covered for the part of flights that takes place in European regional airspace. The adjustment in the legislation would apply from 1 January 2014 and until a planned global market-based mechanism (MBM) becomes applicable to international aviation emissions by 2020, according to the International Civil Aviation Organization. In a late move at the recent Assembly, a number of such as Russia, India and China have succeeded in including resolution wording that agreement should be obtained from third countries before applying interim MBMs to their airlines. While European airlines have differing views on how the EU should proceed with its emissions trading scheme (EU ETS) for aviation.
Parliamentary News
14 Oct 2013 – The European Scrutiny Committee debates the European Commission regulation on flight time limitations. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Mr Robert Goodwill) is in attendance. The motion was passed. That the Committee notes that the Government recognises the importance of managing crew fatigue to support civil aviation safety; supports the Government’s view that the measures will establish safety improvements across the European Union and maintain safety in the UK; and further supports the Government’s view that the measures respect subsidiary principles and help to deliver a level playing field across the EU.
15 Oct 2013 – Early Day Motion (EDM) 572 – Congratulating Edinburgh Airport.
Early Day Motion (EDM) 572 was put down on 15 October 2013 by Mike Crockart (Edinburgh West) (Liberal Democrat): That this House congratulates Edinburgh Airport on its most successful summer on record, seeing more passengers since May than ever before; notes that last month 529,206 passengers travelled internationally and 429,783 passengers travelled domestically from Edinburgh Airport; welcomes the impact this increase in passengers will have on the city as a whole; and recognises the hard work of the staff of Edinburgh Airport to constantly improve standards and the overall customer experience. This EDM has been signed by 1 MP.
15 Oct 2013 – The Energy and Climate Change Select Committee have announced a new enquiry into Low Carbon Innovation. The Committee took evidence from The Rt. Hon John Gummer, Lord Deben, Chair, and Dr David Kennedy, Chief Executive of the Committee on Climate Change on Wednesday 9 October 2013. The topics of discussion included: the CCC’s 2013 Progress Report to Parliament; setting and meeting carbon budgets; managing competitiveness risk; next Steps on Electricity Market Reform; and post legislative scrutiny of the Climate Change Act. The deadline for the submission of written evidence is 10 December 2013.
15 Oct 2013 – The Energy and Climate Change Committee took oral evidence on Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). The Energy and Climate Change Committee is looking to explore the potential benefits that CCS might have, the barriers to development and how to overcome them, what other countries are doing to incentivise CCS, and how successful deployment could impact on international efforts to mitigate climate change and what will happen if it fails. The following people gave evidence: Luke Warren, CEO, Carbon Capture & Storage Association; Professor Stuart Haszeldine, Director, Scottish Carbon Capture and Storage; Chris Littlecott, Senior Policy Adviser, E3G; Dr Ward Goldthorpe, Programme Manager, The Crown Estate; Sam Gomersall, Founding Director, CO2Deepstore; Jane Paxman, Policy and Communications Director, 2CO Energy; Bill Spence, Vice President, Strategic Issues, Shell International; Richard Simon-Lewis, Head of Finance, Capture Power; and Jeremy Nicholson, Director, Energy Intensive Users Group. The session explored a range of issues, including: the Potential benefits of CCS to the UK; barriers frustrating CCS development; and an assessment of EU and UK CCS policy drivers.
17 Oct 2013 – Robert Goodwill makes a written statement to Parliament, summarising items discussed at the first Transport Council of the Lithuanian Presidency in Luxembourg on Thursday 10 October. In the statement Mr. Goodwill talks about the EU emissions trading system. ‘Under any other business, the Commission reported on the outcome of the International Civil Aviation Organisation Assembly in relation to the aviation emissions trading scheme. The Commission noted that the commitment to the development of a global market based measure for agreement by 2016, to be implemented by 2020, was a major success for the EU. I strongly welcomed the commitment to a global market based measure. However, I pointed out that the EU needed to consider next steps in light of the outcome of the ICAO Assembly, and in particular the need to avoid hostile reactions from third countries. The Commission updated Ministers on a developing situation where Russia is likely to commence requesting passenger data from EU airlines from 1 December 2013, and reported on the system for monitoring, reporting and verification of greenhouse gas emissions from international maritime transport.’
18 Oct 2013 – The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport, Robert Goodwill, has made a Ministerial Statement on the publication of reports on Heathrow operational freedoms trial: ‘I am announcing today the publication of reports by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and Heathrow Airport Ltd (HAL) on the recent trial of operational freedoms at Heathrow Airport. The trial, which ended in February, permitted the more flexible use of the airport’s runways and departure routes, in specified circumstances, in order to help improve punctuality, reduce delay and enhance resilience. I would like to thank both organisations, as well as NATS, the airport’s air traffic control services provider, for all of their hard work on the trial, as well as local stakeholders who engaged with the CAA and HAL to help shape the exercise. These reports will be relevant to the Airports Commission’s work on short and medium term options for the UK’s existing airport infrastructure. The Commission’s Interim Report covering such options is due to be published at the end of the year and the Government has invited the Commission to review the CAA and HAL reports to help inform its work in this area. Once the Interim Report is published, the Government will consider the findings of the Airports Commission, CAA and HAL collectively to inform its next steps on the freedoms. In doing so, the Government will also have regard to any wider package of short and medium term measures that might be recommended by the Commission in its December report.’
Government News
14 Oct 2013 – The Airports Commission have rejected the claims made by Stop Stansted Expansion that the former member of the Commission, Geoff Muirhead, potentially biased the Commission’s work. An Airports Commission spokesman said, ‘The Airports Commission firmly rejects the claims made by Stop Stansted Expansion, and considers its processes to date to have been appropriate and robust. The Commission’s sift criteria were informed by public consultation and incorporate a wide range of environmental, economic and social factors – including local environmental issues such as impacts on landscape and the built heritage. The sift criteria demonstrate the openness of the Commission’s process, and the importance it has placed on an integrated and evidence-based approach to reaching its recommendations.’
The consultation sets out the CAA’s provisional view that the deals Stansted has agreed with its two principal customers change the assessment of the airport’s market power, and mean that deregulation could be appropriate. However, this provisional view is subject to consultation, and may change depending on stakeholders’ responses.
Following Stansted’s subsequent acquisition by Manchester Airports Group (MAG) and MAG’s agreements with Ryanair and easyJet, today’s consultation invites stakeholders to comment on the CAA’s assessment of how these agreements may affect the market power assessment.
The consultation focuses solely on the impact of the key developments on the ‘Minded to’ assessment we consulted on in January, and their implications on the licensing of Stansted after April 2014. It does not update the CAA’s thinking on all matters raised in the assessment, nor does it afford stakeholders the opportunity to comment on submissions made by other stakeholders in response to that consultation.
The consultation will close on the 11 November 2013. After the consultation, the final determination on Stansted’s market power will be published early in 2014. The form of regulation for Stansted will be finalised after that.
18 Oct 2013 – The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and Heathrow Airport Ltd have published a report into Heathrow Airport’s Operational Freedoms Trial. The trial, overseen by the CAA, tested whether additional operational flexibility – in the form of tactical use of enhanced arrival and departure flow rates in limited circumstances – would benefit Heathrow’s resilience to disruption and facilitate recovery. The report provides separate and independent analysis on the way the trial was run and on Heathrow Airport’s conclusions. The Heathrow Airport Ltd report into operational freedoms can be found here.
House of Commons Questions
Official definition of an aviation hub
14 Oct 2013
Zac Goldsmith, Conservative; Richmond Park: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the written answer of 29 August 2013, Official Report, column 988W, on Air Passenger Duty, if he will introduce an official definition of aviation hub.
Nicky Morgan, Conservative, Economic Secretary to the Treasury: The Government has set up the independent Airports Commission to examine the question of how best to maintain the UK’s international hub connectivity. The Commission’s fourth discussion paper examines airport operational models, including that of a hub. The discussion paper and stakeholder responses are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications?
Financing any development of Heathrow Airport
14 Oct 2013
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department will consult the National Audit Office in advance on the value for money implications on the public finances of Government guarantees for the debt financing of the expansion of Heathrow Airport.
Robert Goodwill, Conservative, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport: The Government has set up the Airports Commission to examine the question of how best to maintain the UK’s international hub connectivity. The Government expects, in line with its terms of reference, that the Airports Commission will take account of the public finances when making recommendations. The Commission’s final report is due to be submitted to Government in summer 2015.
Agreement on a global emissions trading scheme
14 Oct 2013
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent progress has been made with the International Civil Aviation Organisation on an agreement on a global emissions trading scheme.
Robert Goodwill, Conservative, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport: The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Assembly, which met from 24 September to 4 October, has agreed to develop a global market based measure to tackle aviation emissions. The ICAO Resolution on climate change adopted by the assembly sets out a work programme to finalise the design of a scheme for implementation from 2020. The results of this work will be reported and a decision taken at the next assembly in 2016.
Incidence of aerotoxic syndrome
14 Oct 2013
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what representations he has received on the incidence of aerotoxic syndrome; (2) how many UK-based (a) pilots, (b) cabin crew have reported to his Department symptoms of neurological damage alleged to have arisen from aerotoxic syndrome.
Robert Goodwill, Conservative, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport: The term “aerotoxic syndrome” is not a medically recognised syndrome and does not define a discrete set of symptoms or signs. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Medical Department, who lead on aviation medical issues, has for a number of years maintained a separate record of cases of pilot applicants who reported acute or long-term symptoms which they considered were linked to exposure to contaminated cabin air. Out of 28 cases, 14 pilots have since returned to flying or were never assessed as unfit, leaving 14 who remain unfit although a number of these individuals are now over the normal retirement age. No new cases have been added since June 2012 and we are not aware of any further cases that are currently under review. No reports have been received from cabin crew. The CAA Medical Department does not oversee the medical fitness of cabin crew and any such cases would be managed by the crew member’s employer.
Media News
15 Oct 2013 – NATS aims to challenge what it believes to be misconceptions about the Single European Sky initiative.
17 Oct 2013 – The campaign group Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign has published their response to the Airports Commission request for comments on their emerging thinking. The Group reject the idea that any new runways are necessary in the South East of England, and debates the arguments made by Sir Howard Davies in his speech.
Bulletin Summary
SASIG Regional&IndustryNews Bulletin Oct 12-18
SASIG ParliamentaryNews Bulletin Oct 12-18
The Parliamentary information in this Bulletin is sourced from De Havilland Information Services plc.