The Government & Aviation

Press aticles

A parliamentary inquiry into lobbying, launched on 21st June 2007, considered external regulation, government interaction and funding by lobby groups. Details of BAA's lobbying groups and its close links to government formed part of this inquiry.

Written evidence submitted shows that a level playing field does not exist when it comes to BAA and BA securing meetings with the Secretary of State or the Under-Secretary of State for Transport.

The public administration select committee report said: "There has been widespread public concern that some areas of government policy have effectively been captured at an early stage by interest groups, usually within industry, and that public consultations have been unbalanced in the favour of these interests." It named Heathrow as an example of this and concluded that lobbying needed to be open to public scrutiny.

A separate investigation also revealed that BAA and the government “fixed” environmental targets while researching the impact of the third runway.

Some articles on these and similar subjects are referenced here.

Early Day Motions

On 17th December, 2008, an Early Day Motion (EDM) demanding a vote on the third runway in the Commons was submitted. Gordon Brown has refused a vote.

To see which MPs have signed this EDM, please click on the title below.

"ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF THIRD RUNWAY AT HEATHROW"

On 27th October, 2008, an EDM opposing the government's policy on the third runway was submitted for debate in the Commons. Although few EDMs make it to the floor of the House, a debate was held on 11th November, 2008, with the number of MPs speaking out against Heathrow expansion vastly outnumbering those in favour.

To see which MPs signed this EDM, please click the title below.

"GOVERNMENT POLICY ON THIRD RUNWAY AT HEATHROW AIRPORT"

Leading us astray on Heathrow PDF Print E-mail
Monday, 13 July 2009 00:00

Why have ministers and officials at the Department for Transport allowed themselves to be caught in what looks like a stupid and pointless lie over BAA's lobbying for a third Heathrow runway? The DfT's obstructiveness in refusing to publish a widely publicised letter made a mockery of Gordon Brown's promise of open government. Now the truth is out and aviation minister Paul Clark has been caught misleading parliament. Is it the same old story – or will there be consequences this time?

The Guardian has obtained the letter that Colin Matthews, chief executive of airport owner BAA, sent the then transport secretary Geoff Hoon last November. BAA's suggestion of an independent environmental assessor made a few headlines at the time and seemed to have been quite influential in persuading ministers to support a new runway. But the DfT blocked parliamentary and freedom of information requests to disclose the letter, claiming that its contents were set out in the press release BAA issued at the time. This was not just Orwellian, it was untrue.

Read the full article in The Guardian.


The DfT appears to be a law unto itself when it comes to Heathrow. If ever there was a case for reforming a department, this is surely it.
 
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