§ Mrs. RoeTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress is being made by the working group, chaired by his Department, which is taking forward the Civil Aviation Authority's advice on south-east runway capacity in the longer term.
§ Mr. NorrisThe working group is making good progress. It was established to consider the wider implications of runway development at 10 airports which had been identified by the Civil Aviation Authority, in its report CAP 570 published in July 1990, as potentially able in air traffic control terms to handle growth in south-east air traffic forecast after 2005, and to consider the regional airport contribution. It draws its membership widely from industry, environmental, local authority and consumer interests, as well as from central Government.
The working group has carried out a substantial volume of work but has a considerable amount remaining and does not expect to be in a position to offer advice before the end of this year. Its report will be published. Runway Capacity to Serve the South-East—RUCATSE 189W —is not a decision-making body or an alternative to the normal planning processes, and it is not preparing actual development proposals. Before there could be a major runway development at any airport, a promoter would need to work up a specific detailed proposal and apply for planning permission in the usual way, with opportunity for anyone wishing to comment to do so.
By July the group expects to have taken a view on which options should be taken forward for detailed study in its further work. At that point it proposes to undertake further consultation on the notional runway alignments which would appear most suitable for those sites.