HC Deb 25 May 1979 vol 967 cc312-3W
Mr. Mellor

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) how soon certification of aircraft using Heathrow airport will lead to the phasing out of noisier aircraft from using the airport; and if he will identify those noisier aircraft and, in each case, the date upon which their use of the airport will end;

(2) what proportion of aircraft currently using Heathrow airport are noise certificated; and to what extent he expects that proportion to change in each year until noise certification is fully applied in respect of subsonic aircraft.

Mr. Tebbit

At present about one-third of all movements at Heathrow are made by noise certificated subsonic jet aircraft. By 1990 the proportion is expected to be over 95 per cent. It is not possible to make firm estimates for intervening years or to predict the retirement dates of particular aircraft types, but the intention to prohibit the use of non-noise certificated subsonic jet aircraft on the United Kingdom register from 1 January 1986 clearly sets a limit on the life of such aircraft with United Kingdom airlines.