This decision is not only wrong for the UK and its competitiveness; it is wrong for the London communities who will be blighted by the pollution from an expanded Heathrow. The Secretary of State says that the runway cannot be opened unless air quality conditions are met. The document “Heathrow...

This decision is not only wrong for the UK and its competitiveness; it is wrong for the London communities who will be blighted by the pollution from an expanded Heathrow. The Secretary of State says that the runway cannot be opened unless air quality conditions are met. The document “Heathrow...

On a point of order, Mr Speaker.

On a point of order, Mr Speaker.

Mr Speaker, the statement omitted to mention when the national policy statement debate will be. That is important, because Members will of course want to table written questions to find out more about the copious documents that have been published. I am concerned that there is not much time to...

Mr Speaker, the statement omitted to mention when the national policy statement debate will be. That is important, because Members will of course want to table written questions to find out more about the copious documents that have been published. I am concerned that there is not much time to...

Will the Minister confirm that it is not lack of data that has prevented the Government from taking a different opinion? Is she saying that it is a legal issue rather than a lack of data?

Will the Minister confirm that it is not lack of data that has prevented the Government from taking a different opinion? Is she saying that it is a legal issue rather than a lack of data?

I shall try to keep my comments brief. Because so much has been discussed in this debate, I want to ensure that the Minister has ample time to respond. There is no doubt that people approach the whole area of environmental tax with a massive amount of scepticism as the...

I shall try to keep my comments brief. Because so much has been discussed in this debate, I want to ensure that the Minister has ample time to respond. There is no doubt that people approach the whole area of environmental tax with a massive amount of scepticism as the...

My party drew up its policy before the Government. It was actually the Conservative party, in a relatively lengthy consultation document, that first proposed moving to per-plane duty. We obviously have a policy. Our concern is that any policy must be made to work effectively and efficiently, and we think...

My party drew up its policy before the Government. It was actually the Conservative party, in a relatively lengthy consultation document, that first proposed moving to per-plane duty. We obviously have a policy. Our concern is that any policy must be made to work effectively and efficiently, and we think...

Will the Minister give way?

Will the Minister give way?

: Will the Minister give way?

: Will the Minister give way?

Will the hon. Lady tell us how the Government define ““medium to high noise””? What decibel levels are used?

Will the hon. Lady tell us how the Government define ““medium to high noise””? What decibel levels are used?

Surely, given the hon. Lady’s words, it is vital that she support our amendments to provide the framework for resolving this ongoing debate. It is rather like a rugby team and a football team trying to play on the same pitch—people are debating in totally different ways, and we require...

Surely, given the hon. Lady’s words, it is vital that she support our amendments to provide the framework for resolving this ongoing debate. It is rather like a rugby team and a football team trying to play on the same pitch—people are debating in totally different ways, and we require...

I thank the hon. Gentleman for allowing me to intervene twice. He raises a valid point because my area of Putney has no noise monitoring in process, so the only way to monitor the amount of noise that we have to bear is by literally counting the number of planes...

I thank the hon. Gentleman for allowing me to intervene twice. He raises a valid point because my area of Putney has no noise monitoring in process, so the only way to monitor the amount of noise that we have to bear is by literally counting the number of planes...

Does the hon. Gentleman agree that what his and our amendments represent is certainty? For an airport operator who wants to expand or residents faced with the possibility of blight in the coming years, the amendments would provide some certainty within which all stakeholders could operate. At times, huge capital...

Does the hon. Gentleman agree that what his and our amendments represent is certainty? For an airport operator who wants to expand or residents faced with the possibility of blight in the coming years, the amendments would provide some certainty within which all stakeholders could operate. At times, huge capital...