Written question asked by Baroness Bottomley of Nettlestone (Conservative) on Tuesday, 12 February 2002, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 25 February 2002. It was answered by Lord Spellar (Labour) on Monday, 25 February 2002 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 steps he is taking (a) to monitor and (b) to reduce aircraft noise in the Dunsfold vicinity; what representations he has had on this subject; and if he will make a statement.

Answer: Virginia Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what steps he is taking (a) to monitor and (b) to reduce aircraft noise in the Dunsfold vicinity; what representations he has had on this subject; and if he will make a statement. [36909] Mr. Spellar: Discretionary noise monitoring (in addition to the monitors specified by the Secretary of State for the purposes of the departure noise limits) is the responsibility of the relevant aerodrome, in this case principally Gatwick airport, to whom requests for deployment of mobile monitors should be addressed. The Secretary of State has set requirements for controlling noise from aircraft using Gatwick by notice under s.78 of the Civil Aviation Act 1982. Recently the Department, together with BAA and others, has jointly issued a code of practice on noise from arriving aircraft. The Department has received and replied to a small number of representations about aircraft noise near Dunsfold since the adjournment debate on 11 January 2000.

Secondary information