---

Civil Aviation Bill

As my hon. Friend suggests, I can only confirm that our policy on regional airports throughout the United Kingdom is spelled out in the White Paper, and we are strongly supportive of the growth of regional airports in principle, not least because that will reduce some of the pressures on the south-east. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Feltham and Heston (Alan Keen), who always champions his constituents extremely effectively. He can be assured that I should be delighted to seek his advice on this and other subjects at any time. The hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington (Tom Brake) asked how restrictions will impact on Coventry airport, and the answer is that such things depend on local circumstances. Of course, the statutory consultation committee in Coventry will pursue some of those issues, but I am happy to discuss them with him in more detail. The hon. and learned Member for Harborough (Mr. Garnier) made a number of important points about Nottingham East Midlands airport, to which I shall return in a little more detail. He and a number of other Conservative Members expressed a common theme about the fact that airports might be reticent about exercising the powers that will be given to them under the Bill, and I shall return to that issue. My hon. Friend the Member for North-West Leicestershire (David Taylor) made a similar point. The hon. Member for Poole (Mr. Syms) made a thoughtful and balanced contribution. My hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Blackley (Graham Stringer), who has a great deal of expertise in this area, put aviation in an economic context and pointed out that if the United Kingdom is to earn its living in a globalised world, aviation must play a vital role. I support what my hon. Friend said about the importance of developing regional airports. The hon. Member for Hertford and Stortford (Mr. Prisk) made the case for his constituents on noise emissions. I remind him that any shift away from movements will be subject to consultation, and the consultation that is taking place on night noise is based on the existing arrangements. There are no proposals to remove the limits on day movements. This debate and the debate last week on airports in the south-east ranged widely. Before moving on to some of the detailed issues covered by the Bill, I shall say a few words about the wider context of the Government’s policies on aviation. We support a sustainable way forward that recognises the importance of air travel to our national and regional economic prosperity. Not providing additional capacity where needed would significantly damage the economy and our national prosperity. We recognise that people have a desire to travel. In a globalised world, and in an international city such as London, south-east people want to travel and to take advantage of the affordability of air travel. However, we have a duty, locally, nationally and internationally, to minimise the impact of airports and air travel on those who live nearby. I respectfully point out to some Opposition Members who have criticised the Government on this issue—I think that the hon. Member for Rutland and Melton (Mr. Duncan), who is no longer in his place, was one, as was the hon. Member for Putney (Justine Greening)—that the Government introduced the commission that considered the project for the sustainable development of Heathrow, which is undertaking precisely the research that the hon. Lady and others have said is so necessary. We believe that over time aviation should pay its external cost and that the activities that it imposes on society should be reimbursed. The price of air travel should reflect the environmental and social impact. The Bill is one of the ways in which we are seeking to implement that. That is line with the principle—