§ Mr. AdleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions for each of the last 10 years his Department has utilised its powers to satisfy requirements for limiting the effects of noise at airports in Britain, other than Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted.
§ Mr. McLoughlinThe Department's long-standing policy has been that owners and operators of airports should be responsible for taking noise abatement measures. The Department has designated 47 airports (including the three London ones) under section 35 of the Civil Aviation Act 1982, which requires consultation between the airport, its users and local interests on matters including noise abatement.
In addition the Department has taken a leading role internationally in securing agreement to measures reducing noise at source made by aircraft. The resultant standards are given force by orders made under the 1982 Act.