HC Deb 08 February 1999 vol 325 c2W
Dr. Cable

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many night flights(a) landing and (b) taking off from Heathrow carried (i) passengers and (ii) airfreight in each of the last five years. [68576]

Ms Glenda Jackson

The total runway movements in the night quota period (11.30 pm and 6 am) each season for the last five years are set out.

Season Arrivals Departures Total runway movements 1
Winter 1993–94 2 2 2,589
Summer 1994 2 2 3,204
Winter 1994–95 2 2 2,939
Summer 1995 2 2 3,266
Winter 1995–96 2 2 3,059
Summer 1996 2,527 313 2,840
Winter 1996–97 2,567 255 2,822
Summer 1997 2,722 285 3,007
Winter 1997–98 2,542 224 2,766
Summer 1998 2,765 334 3,099
1 Total runway movements include all movements counted against the night movements limit and noise quota, movements by exempt types of aircraft and movements given dispensations.
2 The split between arrivals and departures is not readily available due to the basis on which records have been retained.

Full details of the split between passenger and all-cargo movements for each season are not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. On the basis of available data, about 8 per cent. of movements in winter 1993–94, and 5 per cent. in summer 1995 were all-cargo flights including mail with similar amounts in intervening seasons (ie slightly more in winter than in summer). In summer 1998 there were 96 such movements, 3 per cent. of the total. A significant amount of cargo is carried in the holds of passenger aircraft.