§ Dr. TongeTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received concerning the future of RAF Northolt; and if he will list them. [51755]
§ Dr. ReidI refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Ealing, North (Mr. Pound) on 18 July 1998,Official Report, column 264.
607W
§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what studies his Department has(a) made and (b) evaluated relating to the use of RAF Northolt as a possible feeder or reliever airport for Heathrow Airport. [51201]
§ Dr. ReidThe Ministry of Defence has neither undertaken nor evaluated any studies relating to the use of RAF Northolt as a possible feeder or reliever airport for Heathrow Airport.
§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many flights other than RAF flights have used RAF Northolt in the last five years; and if he will list them by category. [51203]
§ Dr. ReidThe information that my hon. Friend requested for the period 1993 to 1997 is set out in the tables. The figures shown are the number of movements, where one movement is defined as an aircraft either landing or taking off. Until 1995 information was collated only in terms of military and civil movements as shown in the first table. Since 1996, military movements at RAF Northolt have been further sub-categorised as RAF, other military, or civil aircraft on Government business. This more detailed classification is reflected in the second table.
Year Military movements Civil movements 1993 8,310 4,650 1994 7,319 5,425 1995 7,981 6,492
Year RAF Other military Civil aircraft on Government business Civil 1996 5,474 1,878 548 6,469 1997 5,129 1,623 498 6,976
§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what projections his Department have made of the use by general aviation traffic of RAF Northolt airport in the next three years. [51202]
§ Dr. ReidNone. It is current Ministry of Defence policy to limit use at RAF Northolt to 7,000 civil movements per annum. In addition, the Ministry of Defence has limited opening hours to between 8am and 8pm on weekdays with weekend use permitted only when the station is open for operational reasons. Furthermore, only quieter aircraft which have a maximum capacity of 30 passengers are allowed to use Northolt.
§ Dr. TongeTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects a decision to be made on the future of RAF Northolt. [51754]
§ Dr. ReidEarly proposals on the future of RAF Northolt are highly unlikely. There are several strands of work currently under way which must be taken into account. Firstly, the Ministry of Defence is drawing up a strategic development plan for the defence estate in the Greater London area, which will include RAF Northolt. In addition, there is work which has been set in hand by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions on business aviation in the south-east. Finally,608W the Integrated Transport White Paper published on 20 July 1998 provides a framework for further work on airports policy.