§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many(a) private and (b) public airfields have closed in the UK in the last five years. [108030]
§ Mr. MullinThe Department is unable to obtain accurate information regarding all public and private aerodromes which have stopped operating in the last five years.
The only accurate data we have concern the number of licensed aerodromes which have closed in these years. Statistics from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) show that in the last five years, eight aerodromes have had their licence revoked.
We are aware that in the last five years some aerodromes have received a CAA operating licence and although the figure can vary each year, the number of licensed aerodromes remains fairly constant, on average between 142 and 146.