After months of speculation environment secretary Hilary Benn has confirmed that there are indeed deep splits within the cabinet over whether or not to proceed with plans for a third runway at Heathrow.
In an interview with The Sunday Times yesterday, Benn became the first minister to break ranks and openly voice concerns over the proposed expansion of the airport and its likely contribution to air and noise pollution.
Warning that the airport was already in breach of EU rules governing air pollution, Benn said that the government had to ensure that any expansion would not lead to sustained breaches or air and noise pollution standards.
Heathrow has an exemption, or "derogation", from current EU air pollution standards that runs up until 2015.
Benn told the paper that the government has to "honour that commitment" warning that failure to do so could see embarrassing legal action taken against the EU. "You are then in trouble with the commission, you get infraction proceedings and then off you go – which is not something we can contemplate," he said.
The government's official study on the impact of a third runway said that improvements in aircraft design meant that even if the airport does deliver the planned increase in flights from 480,000 to 700,000 a year the EU standards can be met.
Meanwhile, airport operator BAA has said it will curb the number of flights from the expanded airport if an independent watchdog deems that the airport is breaking the rules.
However, green groups have claimed that the official government pollution projections are based on aircraft designs that do not yet exist, while the government's own watchdog, the Environment Agency, has expressed concerns that a third runway would likely result in the rules being breached.
Benn's comments come just weeks after transport secretary Geoff Hoon announced that he was delaying the final decision on the plans until next month. Officially Hoon said that the delay was necessary to give the government more time to assess the 70,000 responses it received to the most recent consultation process, but reports claimed it was forced by the depth of the divisions within the cabinet over the issue.
The Sunday Times reported that while Benn is the first minister to go on record with his concerns over the expansion of the airport several other senior cabinet figures are also opposed to the plans.
Energy and climate change secretary Ed Miliband is said to be concerned that a third runway would make it harder for the government to meets its new legally binding emission targets and retain its reputation as a leader in the fight against climate change.
His fears are thought to be shared by his brother, the foreign secretary David Miliband, and universities secretary John Denham, while Commons leader Harriet Harman is said to be worried the decision will damage Labour's electoral chances in south and west London, particularly given the Conservatives have said they will oppose the plans.
However, Hoon is known to be in favour of the third runway and has reportedly secured support from business secretary Peter Mandelson. The prime minister Gordon Brown is also thought to be in favour of a third runway on economic grounds.
Source: Bloomberg
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