Clause 1 - Aerodrome charges: noise and emissions
Civil Aviation Bill
10:45 am
Karen Buck (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Transport; Regent's Park and Kensington North, Labour)
I appreciate what the hon. Gentleman has to say and I hope that my final paragraph will respond to some extent to what he has said. I am aware of his concern and that of many hon. Members that some airport operators might not want to take up the powers even though local circumstances mean that there is a strong case for doing so. Proposed new section 38(4) of the 1982 Act, in clause 1, gives the Secretary of State the power to direct specified aerodromes to use the powers in the clause. It might be used in cases in which the voluntary powers are ineffective. The argument is that local circumstances are very varied. We want to work towards a partnership approach—which in many cases has been successful—to allow the clarification of legal powers for airports such as Manchester, and to have in reserve a power that can be used if there are grounds for concern and the airports have not been levying the charges. I hope that that explains a little more of the Government's thinking in making this a power rather than a duty and I ask the hon. Member for Canterbury to withdraw the amendment.