Civil Aviation Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 12:45 pm on 5 July 2005.
Nicholas Winterton
Conservative, Macclesfield
With this it will be convenient to discuss Amendment No. 35, in Clause 2, page 2, line 43, at end insert
', and may also issue penalties on aircraft, otherwise legally permitted to take off or land, which exceed the maximum take-off noise limits, specified by the Secretary of State,'.
Justine Greening
Vice-Chair (Youth), Conservative Party
The Amendment removes that part of Clause 2 that would enable the Secretary of State to change the current regime, which is set out in section 78 of the Civil Aviation Act 1982. The current regime restricts night flights at the designated airports of Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted, and the amendment would guarantee that the existing movements limit is retained as a control mechanism, whereas clause 2(2) proposes that the Secretary of State could remove that limit.
Adam Afriyie
Conservative, Windsor
I am sorry to jump in so early, but I wanted to make a quick observation, and see whether my hon. Friend agrees. There is no need to remove the movements limit while introducing quota measures: it is possible to have both. Depending on what the targets are, one or the other will take effect.
Justine Greening
Vice-Chair (Youth), Conservative Party
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. At present, there are two mechanisms for controlling noise: one is to restrict the movements limit, which the Bill proposes to remove; the second is to restrict the total amount of estimated noise that people have to bear on the ground. That regime of mixed measurement works well, because it not only combats the concept of excessive noise, but addresses noise rumble, which is the kind of constant noise that disturbs people. My Amendment would remove the power to remove the movements limit and would keep the existing mix of control.
The other issue that I have with that proposal is that it was not at all clear to me, when I tabled the amendment, what criteria the Secretary of State would use when planning to employ those powers. The power is to remove the movements limit, but the question that I have—I hope the Minister can answer it—is: under what circumstances would those powers be enacted? Given, particularly, that we are in the middle of a night flights consultation, which the Minister said in the Chamber last week would go on as planned until 2012, that gives us ample time to bring forward the type of data that we are currently missing on noise.
It being One o'clock, The Chairman adjourned the Committee without Question put, pursuant to the Standing Order.
Adjourned till this day at Four o'clock.
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
A parliamentary bill is divided into sections called clauses.
Printed in the margin next to each clause is a brief explanatory `side-note' giving details of what the effect of the clause will be.
During the committee stage of a bill, MPs examine these clauses in detail and may introduce new clauses of their own or table amendments to the existing clauses.
When a bill becomes an Act of Parliament, clauses become known as sections.
As a bill passes through Parliament, MPs and peers may suggest amendments - or changes - which they believe will improve the quality of the legislation.
Many hundreds of amendments are proposed by members to major bills as they pass through committee stage, report stage and third reading in both Houses of Parliament.
In the end only a handful of amendments will be incorporated into any bill.
The Speaker - or the chairman in the case of standing committees - has the power to select which amendments should be debated.
A parliamentary bill is divided into sections called clauses.
Printed in the margin next to each clause is a brief explanatory `side-note' giving details of what the effect of the clause will be.
During the committee stage of a bill, MPs examine these clauses in detail and may introduce new clauses of their own or table amendments to the existing clauses.
When a bill becomes an Act of Parliament, clauses become known as sections.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
