Clause 3 - Power for aerodromes to
Civil Aviation Bill
4:30 pm
Tom Brake (Shadow Secretary of State for Transport (And Scotland), Transport; Carshalton and Wallington, Liberal Democrat)
To say that I have a scientifically drawn-up schedule of complaints would be unfair. However, it would be fair to say that there is a body of anecdotal evidence from individual residents and community groups up and down the country relating to concerns about noise schemes. We have debated the issue of monitoring noise. One must question whether there are any current measures that are sufficiently watertight and robust to enable such complaints to be documented. The provision, in handing responsibility to a body such as the environmental research and consultancy department, would ensure not only that a robust scheme was established but that monitoring was appropriate and of an order that communities around airports would find satisfactory.
The Minister now has an opportunity to respond with alternative proposals. I know—although I do not want, like the official Opposition spokesman, to speak for her—that she will refer to the powers that the Secretary of State has as a last resort. However, I hope that she will expand a little on whether a competent authority might be a better alternative to the relevant airport manager.