HC Deb 22 November 1995 vol 267 cc146-7W
Mr. Allen

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all the occasions on which airport companies have fined those who have infringed noise limits under their charging powers in the last year for which figures are available(a) at Heathrow and (b) at other airports. [7]

Mr. Norris

The Secretary of State may set requirements for limiting noise at airports designated for the purposes of section 78 of the Civil Aviation Act 1982. The only airports so designated are Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted. The noise limits are 110 PNdB (97 dBA) by day (0701–2300) and 102 PNdB (89 dBA) by night (2301–0700).

From 1 April 1993 at Heathrow and Stansted and from 1 May 1993 at Gatwick, the airport companies have imposed financial penalties for breaches of the night noise limits and are progressively introducing financial penalties for the breaches of the daytime noise limits. Information on breaches of the noise limits and on the fines collected is provided by each of those airport companies to their respective airport consultative committees. I have asked the three airport companies to send the reports for the last 12 months to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North.

At other airports, noise mitigation measures are the responsibility of the airport operator.