Salmon producers come out in support for Heathrow third runway
Industry body Salmon Scotland has backed calls for a third runway at London’s Heathrow Airport, following the announcement that the UK Government wants to go ahead with the long-delayed proposal.
Speaking to an audience of business chiefs at Siemens in North Oxfordshire this morning, the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, set out a set of reforms aimed at kickstarting economic growth and driving up living standards across the UK through “investment, getting Britain building and tackling regulatory barriers”.
This included the announcement that the government supports and is inviting proposals for a third runway at Heathrow (LHR).
Commenting on the Chancellor’s speech, Tavish Scott, Chief Executive of Salmon Scotland, said: “The Chancellor is absolutely right to highlight the role that Heathrow plays in supporting British business. Scottish salmon is the UK’s number one food export and is the airport’s single biggest export by volume.
“Scottish business has long pressed for a third runway at Heathrow so we welcome this announcement and any measures that will support the sustainable economic growth of the Scottish and UK economy.”
In the five years to 2023, more than 115,000 tonnes of Scottish salmon was exported from London Heathrow, making it the airport’s single biggest export by volume.
Over that period, £1bn worth (£970m) of Scottish salmon was exported from LHR around the globe.
Total Scottish salmon exports for the first ten months of 2024 reached 82,000 tonnes with an export value of £688 million.
Scottish salmon is typically carried in the hold of scheduled passenger flights travelling to international destinations particularly to markets in the Middle East and Asia, Salmon Scotland says, arguing that this makes it a carbon efficient mode of transport for exports to the rest of the world.
In her speech, the Chancellor said: “I have always been clear that a third runway at Heathrow would unlock further growth, boost investment, increase exports, and make the UK more open and more connected as part of our Plan for Change... I can confirm today that this Government supports a third runway at Heathrow and is inviting proposals to be brought forward by the summer.”
She confirmed that the UK Government will move at speed to review the Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS). This provides the basis for decision making on granting development consent for a new runway at Heathrow, to ensure that any scheme is delivered in line with our legal, environmental and climate obligations.
The UK Government maintains that as well as creating over 100,000 jobs in the local area and many more indirectly, according to research carried out by consultancy firm Frontier Economics 60% of the economic boost from a third runway would be felt by areas outside of London and the South East.
Opposition to a third runway remains strong, however, both among local residents and those who say expanding the UK’s biggest airport is at odds with the UK Governments aim of reducing carbon emissions.
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