The Department of Transport has been quick to rubbish weekend reports that a third runway at Heathrow Airport may be "back on the table".

The Independent on Sunday reported Chancellor George Osborne had been secretly pushing for expansion at Heathrow in a move the Sunday paper said could "break apart" the coaltion.

Prior to 2010's general election, Putney MP Justine Greening had campaigned vociferously against the third runway and Sunday's news would have greatly concerned her fellow protesters.

But a spokesman for the Department for Transport confirmed the Government was not looking at Heathrow as a means of expanding the UK's "hub status".

She said: "The Government is committed to developing a new policy framework for aviation which supports economic growth while addressing the environmental impacts of flying.

"As the Chancellor made clear in his Autumn Statement, we will explore all the options for maintaining the UK's aviation hub status with the exception of a third runway at Heathrow.

"In the summer we will consult on an overarching sustainable framework for UK aviation and alongside this we will publish a call for evidence on maintaining effective UK hub airport connectivity."