To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what reports he has received on prospective promoters in respect of (a) the Cliffe airport proposal and (b) other North Kent estuarial airport proposals. [130995]

In response to "The Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom: South East" consultation, a number of proposals for new airport capacity that are alternatives to, or variants of, options set out in the Government's consultation document, have been submitted. These include two sites in North Kent and the Marinair proposal for an airport on an island in the Thames estuary.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the identification and recommendation of airport sites for further development in the air transport White Paper will be based on (a) commercial viability and (b) availability of private sector funding to meet the full cost. [130996]

We are currently analysing the many thousands of responses received to "the Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom" consultation. Ministers will take decisions based on the factual appraisal and views expressed by interested parties, which will help Ministers come to a view on what weight they should attach to different considerations, and how to balance these. Commercial and financial viability are considerations specified in the published SERAS appraisal methodology.