HC Deb 03 December 2002 vol 395 cc660-1W
Mrs. Spelman: Mrs. Caroline Spelman

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will(a) rescind his previous intention to issue a white paper on potential expansion of Birmingham International Airport and (b) substitute a green paper. [83549]

Mr. Jamieson

It remains our intention to issue a white paper setting out our policies on both aviation and airports.

Mrs. Caroline Spelman

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will allow(a) the period of consultation to be extended and a second round of consultation to be organized and (b) additional time for (i) preparation and publication of detailed Birmingham International Airport proposal and the documentary evidence to support such a proposal and its concomitant business care and (ii) public scrutiny and response. [83550]

Mr. Jamieson

As the Secretary of State has announced in his written Statement of 27 November 2002,Official Report, columns 35–36WS and his Oral Statement to the House on 28 November, we have decided to extend the consultation. It will now close four months after the publication of a further consultation document for South East England.

Mrs. Spelman

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what account he will take of representations about the proposed expansion of Birmingham international airport which are not in the form of responses to the official questionnaire; and whether he will receive representations after 30 November; [83945]

(2) whether he will examine the proposal for expansion of Birmingham international airport put forward by the airport management. [83946]

Mr. Jamieson

All written responses to the consultation will be considered. Details of how to respond are set out in the consultation document.