(Winchester)
(Con):...Secondly, I wholeheartedly welcome the Government’s recent
commitment to establishing a Jet Zero Council with
the goal of making net zero carbon emissions a reality for flights
in the future. We wrote to the Secretary of State in February this
year with a decarbonisation roadmap from the organisation
Sustainable Aviation—a detailed plan to achieve zero carbon by 2050
by investing in cleaner aircraft, engine technology, smarter flight
operations, sustainable aviation fuels and high-quality carbon
offsets. Post covid, all those actions remain essential if we are
to achieve that ambition...
(Eastleigh) (Con): Talking about going greener, does my
hon. Friend and constituency neighbour know that Southampton
airport, which is by our constituencies, needs to extend its runway
to enable greener travel and stop constituents travelling to
Gatwick and Heathrow. Will he encourage Eastleigh Borough Council
to get on and decide? If not, it is time for the Government to
issue a special development order to extend that runway.
: Yes. Many
of my constituents rely on Southampton airport for their family
income, and we have been decimated by the demise of Flybe, as my
constituency neighbour knows. I know that he is working so hard
to get his local council to see some reality and not just be
blinded by its ideology. That development is connected with my
point about Jet Zero for exactly the reason that
he said. The runway extension at Southampton international
airport was already needed, but it is now actually needed to
allow the airport to survive full stop.
As a neighbouring MP, I represent the southern parishes in
Winchester district, and we want to see a noise-preferred route,
for which Southampton airport is responsible in its own airspace
up to 5,000 metres. That was left out the last time the airport
was expanded and had planning permission. I need Southampton
airport to understand that I will support it, but it needs to
support my constituents too.
British Airways has many questions to answer. I know that BA
slots at Heathrow are not in the Government’s gift, but I look
forward to hearing the Minister’s response to the debate.
Jet Zero is something that this Government can
be proud of, and I look forward to seeing it develop in the
months and years ahead. Air travel and meeting our climate
objectives and climate commitments are not incompatible, and we
should not fall into the silly trap of seeing them as either/or.
Finally, I will work with Southampton airport, but it needs to
work with me...
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