Written question asked by Mark Todd (Labour) on Monday, 15 October 2001, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 23 October 2001. It was answered by David Jamieson (Labour) on Tuesday, 23 October 2001 on behalf of the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions.

Dept for Transport Local Government and the Regions

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of controls on night noise at UK airports. - Inc ref to consultation paper, "Control of noise from civil aircraft".

Answer: Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment he has made of the adequacy of controls on night noise at UK airports. [8524] Mr. Jamieson: Controls on aircraft noise at night may be imposed voluntarily by the airport operator, in consultation with those affected. They may be subject of informal agreement, for example, with the relevant airport consultative committee, or of enforceable obligations under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 or they may be the subject of planning conditions. At airports designated for the purposes of section 78 of the Civil Aviation Act 1982, controls may be set under that power: at present, only Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted are so designated. In the consultation paper, "Control of noise from civil aircraft", published last year, we also proposed that the Secretary of State be given a new power to require a noise amelioration scheme to be made and agreed with an appropriate local authority to address particular local issues. Responses to that consultation are being analysed and I hope to announce the outcome shortly.

Secondary information