The Government suffered a defeat in the Lords yesterday when peers voted by 185 votes to 128 to insist current night flight restrictions at Gatwick should be maintained.

The Government wants to the restrictions to be based on noise levels but the Lords voted by a majority of 57 to retain the existing controls based on the number of flights.

Lord Davies of Oldham, supporting the Government, denied that the proposed change was a ploy to allow an increased number of night flights.

He said: "The movement limit alone is a pretty blunt instrument. It does not directly control the amount of noise permitted at night, neither does it affect the types of aircraft allowed."

For the Tories, Lord Hanningfield said the noise quota system was "incomprehensible"

and would be ineffectual because of the absence of an official noise limit on night flights.

He said: "We want the security of the system as it now stands. We must retain the movement limit on night flights. Not only is it effective, it is the only method that is understood. It provides protection for people living close to airports."

The Bill, which also covers flights at Heathrow and Stansted, will now return to the Commons for further consideration by MPs.

Thursday, June 29, 2006