British ministers back new Heathrow airport ‘runway’
Brexit day of drama on June 12
LONDON, June 5, (Agencies): British ministers backed plans for a new runway at London’s Heathrow airport on Tuesday, opening the way for a parliamentary vote after decades of delays, although the project could still face challenges before building starts.
Heathrow is Europe’s busiest airport but is now operating at full capacity. In the past, plans to expand the airport have faced opposition from local communities and environmentalists but the current 14 billion pound ($18.5 billion) expansion plan is making progress.
The cabinet gave its blessing to the new runway plan on Tuesday, said transport minister Chris Grayling, and lawmakers should now vote on the issue with- in 21 days.
The decision comes after almost half a century of indecision on how and where to add new airport capacity in densely populated southeast England. If it goes ahead it will be the first full-length runway built in the London area for 70 years.
“Expansion at Heathrow presents a unique opportunity to deliver a multibillion pound boost to our economy, strengthen our global links and maintain our position as a world leader in aviation,” Grayling said in a statement.
In an attempt to satisfy opponents of the scheme, he said that the new runway would be delivered within existing air quality obligations, and include a 6.5-hour scheduled night flight ban, plus compensation for local residents and a new independent body would be set up to monitor aviation noise.
The expansion plan could face legal challenges in future, however, with four local councils and environmental group Greenpeace amongst those who could seek a judicial review of the project.
Heathrow, owned by Ferrovial, Qatar Investment Authority and China Investment Corporation among others, still has to secure planning permission, with construction slated to start in 2021 and the new runway operational by 2026.
An independent commission recommended Heathrow as the site for a new runway in 2015, saying that adding capacity there would bring the country the greatest economic benefits and government has based its policy on these findings.
Business leaders and politicians have argued that a bigger Heathrow is even more important since Britain voted to leave the EU in 2016, as the expanded airport will enhance trade links and provide a boost to economic growth.
Grayling
Day of drama on June 12:
British MPs will hold a string of key votes on Brexit during a single day next week, the government revealed Monday, warning rebels not to use the opportunity to challenge its EU strategy.
In what promises to be a day of drama lasting well into the evening, the House of Commons will decide on June 12 whether to retain or reject 15 amendments made by the House of Lords to a landmark Brexit bill.
Among the changes the government will be seeking to overturn include one giving parliament the right to decide what happens if Britain fails to agree terms of its withdrawal with the European Union.
Other amendments to the EU (Withdrawal) Bill would keep Britain’s economy closely aligned to the bloc, contrary to Prime Minister Theresa May’s policy to leave both the EU’s single market and customs union.
Chief whip Julian Smith, who is in charge of enforcing parliamentary discipline in May’s Conservative party, wrote to MPs setting out the date for the votes – and warning would-be rebels. He said he looked forward to working with them to deliver a bill “that reflects both the referendum result (to leave the EU) and the Conservative party manifesto we all stood on last year”.
May had been accused of delaying debate of the Lords amendments for fear of defeat by a handful of Conservative rebels and opposition MPs, who together may be able to overturn her slim Commons majority.
No-deal could cost £20b a yr:
Companies face an extra 20 billion pounds ($27 billion) a year in costs to comply with the customs arrangement if there is a no-deal Brexit, Britain’s most senior tax official said on Tuesday.
Jon Thompson, permanent secretary at Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, told lawmakers that leaving the EU with no deal would cost business a similar amount to a customs arrangement known as “max fac” – or maximum facilitation - because companies would have to fill in customs declarations.
“If we move to WTO (World Trade Organization) rules, that would definitely require customs declarations so it would be similar in terms of costs,” Thompson said when asked about the cost of a no-deal Brexit.
Prime Minister Theresa May has pledged to take Britain out of the customs union with the EU, a step she argues is necessary so that London can strike its own trade deals around the world.
Security advisor for women MPs:
Britain’s parliament is hiring a dedicated security advisor to help women lawmakers deal with “extreme” threats, abuse and intimidation, two years after the murder of MP Jo Cox.
The move is an effort to combat what rights group Amnesty has called the “horrifying levels of online violence and abuse” faced by women in the public eye.
“Unfortunately, a disproportionate number of women MPs are targeted regularly with extreme and graphic threats, abuse and intimidation,” Britain’s lower house of parliament said in a statement on Monday.
Concerns around security grew during last year’s general election.
More than half the cases dealt with by police around Westminster last year involved targeting of female politicians, according to parliament data, even though only about one in three British MPs is female.
The job, solely open to women, entails looking out for the 209 female MPs and their staff, including giving them security advice for when they are away from parliament.