Heathrow (Third Runway)

Yes, that is perfectly true, and analysis of travel patterns shows that disproportionate numbers of those who take cheaper flights are middle class or well off, and are not the people referred to in the intervention by the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, South-West (Rob Marris). Let me ask the Secretary of State for Transport to address the issue of safety. I do not wish to say that the proposal for a third runway is unsafe; I just wanted to raise the issue, and be given an assurance at the end of the debate. The Civil Aviation Authority said:"““Were all…southeastern airport development plans to come to fruition, CAA and NATS are of the view that there would not be sufficient airspace to accommodate the scale of predicted growth””—" that is, traffic growth—"““on the basis of current and predicted technology.””" I raised the matter with the Under-Secretary of State for Transport, the hon. Member for Poplar and Canning Town, last March, as he may recall. He said:"““The CAA has examined our White Paper proposals and believes that the necessary airspace capacity can be provided safely.””—[Official Report, 4 March 2008; Vol. 472, c. 1589.]" NATS said, in a letter to me:"““NATS has not yet carried out detailed work as there has been no requirement for us to do so. We are not therefore able to advise at this stage on any specific airspace changes that may be required in support of any…Government policy to permit expansion of Heathrow.””" It is a serious issue. It may be that expansion can be handled safely; I do not wish to start hares running needlessly, but it is important that it be put on the record that any expansion at Heathrow can be handled safely under the current air traffic regime. I shall be grateful for such an assurance from the Minister when he replies.