Mr McLoughlin told the Commons that he would not "wholly rule out" putting a new runway at Heathrow, adding, to mocking laughter, that the way forward was to set up a working group.
"Far from giving us certainty, there is likely to be delay as developments are held up by appeals and by the courts having to rule on a new and untested approach, " Mr Benn said, adding that this would lead to "uncertainty and chaos".