A decision on airport expansion would be taken in October at the very earliest according to Government officials, despite recent reports that new transport secretary Chris Grayling suggested a decision might be taken in the coming weeks.
The statement from Whitehall officials was published today, although it was received by MPs on 7 July, and was made in response to a transport select committee report on airport expansion published in the spring.
Jets at London's Heathrow airport
The Government response to the report states: ‘Any announcement on airport capacity would need to be made when the House is in session and is likely to be in October at the earliest.’
The response has raised mixed messages from Government after recent media reports suggested Mr Grayling was keen to provide ‘certainty’, and held out the option of a ruling in early September after parliament returns from recess.
Chair of the transport committee, Louise Ellman MP, said: ‘The Committee welcomes Chris Grayling MP to his new role as secretary of state for transport. We also welcome the reports that he will be considering the decision on airport expansion in the coming weeks.
‘Mr Grayling is correct that a rapid decision on airport expansion is required. It is British business which is losing out while other countries expand their aviation capacity.
‘This has been an extraordinary tale of procrastination enduring more than a quarter of a century.’
The Government has delayed making a decision following the Airports Commission’s final report in July last year, which recommended Heathrow’s Northwest Runway proposal.
Officials said Whitehall still intends to meet the timetable set out by the Airports Commission for delivering extra capacity by 2030, and that ‘a short delay’ in reaching a view on the commission’s three shortlisted options would not obstruct this.
The Government response added that all three shortlisted schemes – two options at Heathrow, one at Gatwick - were still being considered and work is continuing in the areas of air quality, noise, carbon and community compensation.
However MPs on the transport select committee criticised this approach, stating: ‘A decision on location would give more focus and impetus to this work...Real progress cannot be made without a decision on location.’
The committee maintains that Heathrow, with the package of measures recommended by the Airports Commission, ‘offers the greatest economic benefit and would do more to improve connectivity within the UK and internationally’.
Once a decision had been made, the Government has pledged to hold a public consultation on the ruling through a draft Airports National Policy Statement (NPS). The Department for Transport will publish the further analysis on air quality in due course.
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