§ 48. Mr. Derek TwiggTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps have been taken to reduce noise caused by older aircraft. [47670]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonThe UK has consistently pressed for higher noise standards internationally. In the 1980s, we implemented the removal of non-noise certificated aircraft at the earliest date allowed by international agreements. Subsequently, we argued for phasing out jet aircraft meeting the Chapter 2 standard. This is now implemented in an EC directive, ensuring that, from 1 April 2002, such aircraft will not normally be used in Europe. At the Transport Council in June, we secured political agreement on bringing forward measures against aircraft which have been recertificated to meet by only a bare margin the current noise standard (Chapter 3). The UK was also in the lead in proposing stricter standards for single-engined, light, propeller-driven aircraft. We anticipate that this will be shortly agreed internationally.