To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she expects National Air Traffic Services Ltd to submit a design that is feasible and safe regarding mixed mode options for expanding Heathrow capacity as outlined in paragraphs 3.43 to 3.45, page 49 of the Adding Capacity at Heathrow Airport public consultation document; and if she will make a statement. (181716)

[holding answer 24 January 2008]: If the Government give policy support for mixed mode operations following the Adding Capacity at Heathrow Airport consultation, it would then be a commercial decision for the airport operator, BAA, to determine whether they wish to pursue mixed mode operations.

If they do, BAA would seek the support of NATS (formerly ‘National Air Traffic Services Ltd’), the air navigation services provider, to develop a detailed airspace change proposal in accordance with arrangements under the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)'s independent Airspace Change Process.

At this stage, it is not possible to give accurate timings on when NATS might develop a detailed airspace change proposal for subsequent review and decision by the CAA. However, if Government gives a policy decision in support of mixed mode operations in 2008, BAA pursues its development soon after, and regulatory approval subject to detailed design is secured, DfT estimates, as set out in the consultation document, that introduction of mixed mode within the current capacity limit might be possible by 2010-11 and mixed mode above the current capacity limit by 2015.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to the Adding Capacity at Heathrow Airport public consultation document, what monetary value she has placed on the reduction in costs to passengers noted in paragraph 2.37, page 143-144; and if she will make a statement. (182436)

[holding answer 25 January 2008]: The breakdown of the monetised benefits from each option in the Adding Capacity at Heathrow Airport consultation document is given in table 4.3 (p79) of ‘UK Air Passenger Demand and CO2 Forecasts', available at:

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/aviation/environmentalissues/ukairdemandandco2forecasts/

The following table reproduces the figures for the three consultation document options. The first bullet point of paragraph 2.37, page 143-144, of the consultation