§ Mr. OttawayTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will make a statement on his policy on aircraft noise nuisance; [35400]
(2) if it is his policy to continue to reduce aircraft noise after 2002. [35399]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonThe Government's policy is to minimise the impact of airports on the environment while ensuring that land use planning and conservation policies take account of the economic benefits of maintaining a strong and competitive British airline industry and providing sufficient airport capacity where it is economically and environmentally justified. This necessarily involves striking a balance between the needs of an efficient aviation industry, providing jobs and serving the local, regional and national economy and the need to minimise the impact on the environment and the communities around airports. There has been a substantial improvement in the noise climate around Heathrow over the past two decades, which has been accelerated since 1990 by the compulsory progressive phase-out of Chapter 2 jet aircraft, a process due to be completed by 31 March 2002. While this makes the securing of further improvement all the more challenging, the Government are committed to doing everything practicable to ensure that the noise climate around the airport continues to improve after 2002. We have given local people around Heathrow an additional commitment to take all practicable steps to prevent a deterioration in the noise climate after the Chapter 2 phase-out is complete.
§ Mr. OttawayTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how often he meets the BAA and airline representatives to discuss aircraft noise from planes using Heathrow Airport. [35398]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonDETR Ministers meet with airline representatives and BAA plc from time to time to discuss a wide range of matters, including the nuisance caused by aircraft landing and taking off at Heathrow.
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