§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the criteria for grants in respect of noise nuisance to people living 369W near airports, with particular reference to (a) Coventry and (b) Birmingham.
§ Mr. Norris[holding answer 24 January 1995]: My right hon. Friend may lay down criteria for noise insulation grants for airports designated for the purposes of section 79 of the Civil Aviation Act 1982. The only airports so designated are Heathrow and Gatwick. At other airports, provision of noise insulation is at the discretion of the local airport management or may be the subject of planning conditions.
There have been various noise insulation schemes at Birmingham, but none at Coventry.
The boundary of the present scheme at Birmingham, which has been implemented in phases, was published in 1991. It is based on 66 Leq—16-hour—daytime aircraft noise exposure contour. The scheme provides grants for noise insulation to specified standards in up to three habitable rooms. The grants are subject to a cost limit of £1,600 plus VAT per dwelling and are paid by the operator of the airport.