Civil Aviation Bill

I think that that was a rhetorical question. I am anxious that the Government should not intrude on the role of the courts by commenting on a particular dispute concerning the application of the existing legislation on restrictions on night flights—including the way that aircraft are classified for such purposes—at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted. Consultation on the Government’s proposed night flying restrictions closed on 16 September and we are giving careful consideration to the large number of responses received. I am grateful to all those who responded, including hon. Members. I will not be able to announce the outcome of the consultation in advance of completing the full consideration of responses, but I state again that the proposed change to the legislation will not impact on the current process to determine night flying restrictions at the designated airports from October 2006 to October 2012, regardless of whether the Bill completes its passage before that announcement is made, and that the restrictions will involve a limit on aircraft movements. On the question of Heathrow, and in response to my hon. Friend the Member for Hayes and Harlington, the limit of 480,000 movements imposed by the planning inspector would also not be overturned by way of a future decision to set night flying restrictions without a movements limit. There would still be a total movements limit, and were there to be an increase in night flights, for example, that would be within the cap. I think that it is the mood of the House that I should draw my comments to a conclusion. [Hon. Members: ““Yes.””] I have read the mood of the House correctly. Although I realise that I have not satisfied the concerns of all Opposition Members, I have commented in detail on a number of those issues, as I did in Committee. I believe that the Bill strikes a proper balance between the environmental sustainability issues that cause concern to Members of Parliament and the need to maintain a healthy aviation industry.