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Cameron postpones Heathrow expansion decision until 2015


Prime Minister David Cameron has postponed the decision on whether to expand Heathrow Airport until after the next general election in 2015. 

An independent inquiry into the UK's airport capacity will be carried out by a commission which will be chaired by former head of the Financial Services Authority Sir Howard Davies, the Government said, according to a Financial Times report.

The commission will consider all the evidence and publish an interim report next year, which will include recommendations to the Government.  The final report and subsequent decision on action is expected after the next election in 2015.

There has been speculation that the Government would change its mind on the Heathrow expansion after Patrick McLoughlin was appointed new Transport Minister in the recent Cabinet reshuffle, replacing Heathrow-opponent Justine Greening.

"Let me say clearly that, while I believe that we need to establish a form of review that will bring parties together and make a decision about airport capacity, I will not break my manifesto pledge," said Cameron, when he was asked to confirm that there would be no third runway at Heathrow while he leads the Conservative Party during Prime Minister's Questions yesterday.

"These very large infrastructure projects are extremely difficult for individual Governments to take on and deliver. What we need to do is build a process that will hopefully have cross-party support, so that we can look carefully at the issue and deliver changes that will address the problems of capacity that we will have in future years and the issue of the UK’s hub status," he said.

Airport operator BAA, the owner of Heathrow, has welcomed the plans for an inquiry and hope that the commission will back a third runway, the Financial Times report said.

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