HC Deb 10 March 1993 vol 220 cc562-3W
Mr. Steen

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about the issue on approval of codes of practice under parts III and IV of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991.

Mr. Kenneth Carlisle

Three codes of practice have been prepared by the highway authorities and utilities committee, representing highway authorities and utilities in Great Britain, and have been approved by the Secretaries of State for Transport, Scotland and Wales. They are the codes on: Reinstatement, approved under Sections 31 and 130, dated June 1992, published September 1992. Diversionary works, approved under Sections 84 and 143, dated June 1992, published October 1992. Co-ordination and Co-operation, approved under Sections 56, 59, 60, 115, 118 and 119, dated November 1992, published February 1993.

The Secretaries of State for Transport, for Scotland and for Wales have issued a code of practice, dealing with safety at street works, under sections 6 and 124. This was published in February 1993.

In addition, the Secretaries of State have arranged for the publication of the code of practice on inspections prepared by the highway authorities and utilities committee and dated July 1992. The Secretaries of State commend the use of this code although they have no statutory power to approve it.

All of the codes have been the subject of extensive public consultation before approval, issue or commendation. All apply to the whole of Great Britain, and all are published by HMSO.

Copies of all the codes of practice have been deposited in the Libraries of both Houses.

Mr. Kenneth Baker

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many night flights will be permitted at Heathrow and at Gatwick in the winter under his recent proposals, excluding aircraft which are at present exempt and assuming that airlines use the same mix of aircraft as in the past year.

Mr. Norris

At Heathrow the mix of traffic in the period 2330 to 0600 does not differ markedly between the seasons. Assuming airlines use the same mix of traffic as in the past year, the proposed winter quota of 5,000 for Heathrow would translate into about 2,000 movements by aircraft counting one or more under the proposed new system and there would be about 300 movements by zero-rated aircraft in addition to those currently exempt. The assumption that the mix of traffic at Gatwick at night in the winter season will remain unchanged is unlikely. The best estimate is that the proposed winter quota of 6,450 for Gatwick will translate into between 2,350 and 3,500 movements depending on the build-up between scheduled and chartered services. There would also be some movements by zero-rated aircraft in addition to those currently exempt.