Catherine McKinnell, MP for Newcastle North, has urged the new Prime Minister to make a decision on Heathrow expansion following months of delay.
Speaking during Theresa May’s first Prime Minister’s Questions in the Commons today (20th July), Catherine asked:
‘Newcastle Airport was voted the best in Britain this week.
‘But the good news they are really waiting for is a decision on Heathrow expansion.
‘The Prime Minister knows that Britain needs to be open for business – so will she do better than dithering Dave, and give us a decision without delay?’
In response, the Prime Minister stated that a decision would be taken by the Cabinet ‘in due course’.
Newcastle International Airport is the single largest employment site in Catherine’s constituency, with 3,200 people employed at the Airport – and a further 12,200 people in Airport-supported jobs across the North East. The Airport contributes £581million to the regional economy, and facilitates the export of £310million of goods each year.
Commenting after PMQs, Catherine said:
‘Newcastle Airport plays such a vital role in underpinning the North East’s economy, and it’s clear that – of all the options on the table – Heathrow expansion offers the greatest benefits for our region.
‘I strongly believe that the North East’s needs and views are just as important as any other part of the country when a decision on this nationally strategic issue is taken.
‘But it’s now over year since the independent Davies Commission’s report was published, and the issue has been kicked into the long grass for far too long.
‘Airports like Newcastle, and businesses across the North East, are calling out for an end to this uncertainty. It really is time for Theresa May to put a stop to the dithering, and make the right decision once and for all.’
Catherine’s question to the Prime Minister today followed her intervention during Treasury Questions yesterday, where she urged Ministers to back key projects of importance to the North East, stating:
‘Two infrastructure projects are critical to the North East: increased airport capacity at Heathrow, and an expanded Metro system.
‘What commitment can the Government make to those projects today?’