Question
I associate myself with the comments of the Secretary of State about the Spanish rail crash. On 18 June, the Secretary of State said in a statement that the Heathrow expansion is “critical to national growth”. On 27 September the Prime Minister said, however: “Principally, it’s a matter for London and Londoners”. And last week, in response to a written parliamentary question, the Under-Secretary of State for Transport, the hon. Member for Selby (Keir Mather), said that the Government will consider the Transport Committee’s recommendations before deciding next steps. Does she agree with herself, the Prime Minister or her junior Minister?
Answer
The Government’s position on Heathrow expansion was set out in the draft Heathrow expansion national policy statement that we consulted on in the summer. We are working through the responses to it very carefully. The right hon. Gentleman will know that this is a very significant, privately financed infrastructure project, and it is right that we look thoroughly at all the evidence, including the independent economic analysis and the really strict tests on climate, noise and air quality. It is entirely right that the Prime Minister wants to look closely at the detail of such a nationally significant project.
Verdict: RED (20/100)
The question asked which of three stated positions the Secretary of State agrees with. The reply does not choose any of them. It refers to the consultation on the draft policy statement, the ongoing review of responses, and the Prime Minister's wish to examine the detail, but it never says whether the minister endorses the 'critical to growth' view, the 'principally a matter for London' view, or the commitment to consider the Committee's recommendations. The question is only partly addressed and the reply is largely hedged, so the person who asked would likely need to submit a follow-up to get a direct answer.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Which of the three stated positions on Heathrow expansion does the Secretary of State agree with: her own 18 June statement that it is critical to national growth, the Prime Minister's 27 September statement that it is principally a matter for London and Londoners, or the Under-Secretary's statement that the Government will consider the Transport Committee's recommendations before deciding next steps? | Partially Addressed | Hedged | The question asks which of three stated positions the Secretary of State agrees with, and the reply never selects one. It refers to the consultation on the draft policy statement, the ongoing review of responses, and the PM's wish to examine the detail, which touches on the subject without saying whether the minister endorses the 18 June 'critical to growth' line, the PM's 'principally a matter for London' line, or the Under-Secretary's commitment to consider the Committee's recommendations. |