(1 day, 23 hours ago)
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Lee Pitcher (Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme) (Lab)
I am grateful for the opportunity to make the case for the economic contribution of Doncaster Sheffield airport in the House. Its reopening is the No. 1 priority for the people of Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme, as well as residents right across our region.
Reopening our airport is not simply a matter of bringing jobs, though it will bring jobs. It is not just about the wider economy, though it will massively contribute to the economy. It is about our local pride, because our airport is our local pride. When DSA closed two years ago, our community was robbed of a key part of its history and identity. Seeing planes flying once again in the skies above Doncaster is my goal and the reason I address the House tonight.
I will use my time today to speak about the business case for reopening Doncaster Sheffield airport, the clear economic benefits and the importance of the Government’s commitment to finally get this over the line. I will talk first about the inspiring local campaign that has kept DSA high on the agenda since the airport closed its doors 818 long days ago, and that has provided the momentum to get us to where we are today: on the brink of making the dream of reopening a reality.
This is not the first time I have raised Doncaster Sheffield airport in this place.
Lee Pitcher
No. Since being elected, I have asked many questions on the subject. I am sure that hon. Members across the House will be delighted to hear that this will not be the last time either. The fact is that it is important to so many constituents, and nothing demonstrates that better than the Save DSA campaign. I am proud to champion the campaign to save our airport in Parliament, and I hope my efforts in this place serve to highlight the wider efforts of local campaigners at home.
Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)
I commend the hon. Gentleman for bringing the debate forward. I spoke to him beforehand, so he knows what I am going to say. Does he agree that Government funding for local industry means that a rising tide lifts all ships and that the support for the airport will have a great add-on benefit to the local economy? Does he further agree that support for all our airports through the reduction of air passenger duty for flights within the UK would greatly increase the economic benefits to airports and the constituencies around them, as well as bringing tourism benefits?
Lee Pitcher
I most certainly agree that the economic benefits of a regional airport opening are huge, not just for local jobs and the local economy but for the tourism trade, which is massively important right now.
When communities suffer the loss of major employers, as ours did, it is easy to slip into doom and gloom. Mark Chadwick—who I am pleased to say is here this evening—and the rest of the Save DSA campaign team refused to sink into negativity. They knew that there was no good business case to close that airport. They knew that there was no good reason to abandon our community, rip out a part of our heritage and end those jobs. The Save DSA campaign and others have fought tirelessly since the airport’s closure to keep it from becoming yet another example of regional decline. I thank them for their efforts and massively commend their work, as well as that of other groups, such as the Friends of DSA, a group of ex-employees and supporters whom I had the fortune of meeting recently. Their dedication shows that it was never just a job for them. I know they will be following progress closely.
Members who are unfamiliar with our airport may ask, “Why is this so important?” When Peel decided to close the airport in November 2022, it was not just a blow to passengers; it was the end of hundreds of good, well-paid jobs in Doncaster and the surrounding area.
Jo White (Bassetlaw) (Lab)
I congratulate my hon. Friend on securing this important debate. I have heard time and again from my constituents about their regret that they no longer have easy access to an airport on their doorstep. Not only was Doncaster airport important for passengers, but it was embedded in the business community in Bassetlaw. Its closure meant job losses and the loss of regular income streams for local businesses. Does he agree that reopening the airport will create new opportunities for residents in my constituency, including in the world-leading STEP—spherical tokamak for energy production—project, which will deliver international investment and high-skilled jobs to the surrounding area?
Lee Pitcher
Most certainly. I have already spoken with the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon) about the importance of a regional airport. My hon. Friend is quite right that it would make all the difference globally and internationally, particularly in Bassetlaw, where she lives.
Despite the best efforts of Doncaster Mayor Ros Jones, South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard and others, including my right hon. Friend the Member for Doncaster North (Ed Miliband), the airport was closed. To say that was a bitter blow for our community is an understatement. The closure of our airport brought home the reality of the previous Government’s levelling-up programme. It felt back then like there was no levelling up for the people of Doncaster. It was not just jobs that we lost; we lost local pride and a connection to our past. Doncaster Sheffield airport is, apart from anything else, a vital link to our community’s aviation heritage.
Before it was the finest international airport in the country, DSA was RAF Finningley, with an aviation history dating back to 1915. During the first world war, planes from Finningley, flown by incredibly brave men, intercepted German zeppelins en route to Sheffield. During the second world war, Finningley served as a bomber base, and was once again at the forefront of protecting British lives and defending our democracy. When Julie Ann Gibson’s plane landed at Finningley in 1991, she trailblazed her way into the history books: for the first time in its 73 years, the Air Force had a female pilot. That heritage remains evident at the site today thanks to the incredible work of the Vulcan to the Sky trust, which is committed to preserving and protecting two of the most iconic aircraft in British history: the Avro Vulcan and the English Electric Canberra. When I visited the trust last year, I was inspired by its work not only to protect those incredible feats of British engineering, but to support and guide Britain’s next generation of engineers through their work, including children and young people in my constituency—a link to our past; a promise for our future. I hope you can tell from my words, Madam Deputy Speaker, how intensely proud we are of our airport, and that you can hear why it is so important to my constituents.
Allow me to move on to the business case for reopening DSA. I have spent much of my time since becoming an MP talking to local business leaders, and I have lost count of the number of times I have been asked the same question: when is the airport reopening? Local businesses are as keen as anyone to see our airport reopen. They understand how strong the business case is. With renewed conversation nationally about airport capacity and the importance of bringing back growth, we need look no further than a regional airport practically ready to go.
A huge amount of work has been done in the background, led by Doncaster Mayor Ros Jones and her team, to make sure all the i’s are dotted and the t’s are crossed when it comes to demonstrating the viability of DSA. Ros knows better than anyone how vital it is to prove beyond doubt that reopening Doncaster Sheffield airport is not just good for local pride but a brilliant business decision.
An independent financial viability assessment has been clear: Doncaster Sheffield airport is absolutely a viable business prospect. The full business case projects more than 5,000 direct and 6,500 indirect jobs from a reopened DSA by 2050; £5 billion in gross value added to the economy; £2 billion in gross welfare benefits; and—the headline that really grabbed my attention—a projected benefit-cost ratio of 9:1. That means for every single pound put in, we get £9 in return. It is no wonder the business community is keen to see the airport back in action. Dan Fell, CEO of Doncaster chamber of commerce, has said:
“In addition to creating thousands of jobs, the airport will also act as a magnet for investment, help businesses trade internationally, further develop the region’s capability as a nationally significant hub for freight and logistics, and support inbound tourism.”
Mark Sewards
My hon. Friend is making a powerful case to underscore his claim to be called Mr Doncaster Airport. As chair of the all-party parliamentary group for Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire, I support any move that leads to greater growth across our entire region. Does he agree that we need to not just seize opportunities such as this but accelerate the delivery of them, so that everyone in our region can feel the benefits of economic growth?
Lee Pitcher
I thank my hon. Friend for his intervention and for the work he does on the APPG to promote everything that is great and needed in Yorkshire. I could not agree more about the economic importance of this airport for us all.
This is not just an airport. This is not just Doncaster. A reopened DSA is also a reopened South Yorkshire, opening the door to inward investment from across the globe. Where once there were fighter planes, now there will be freight planes. Doncaster sits at the heart of our great country. It is already one of our major transport hubs. With DSA open again, South Yorkshire will become home to new industry, cutting-edge renewable energy and technological innovation.
Sally Jameson (Doncaster Central) (Lab/Co-op)
As well as the exciting prospect of planes taking off from Doncaster once again, does my hon. Friend agree that this is a significant opportunity to turn both Doncaster and South Yorkshire into a hub for sustainable aviation fuel, creating high-skill, high-wage jobs for our local economy in that industry, in line with the Government’s growth agenda to ensure that economic prosperity is felt all over the country, including in areas such as Doncaster and South Yorkshire?
Lee Pitcher
I thank my hon. Friend and neighbour for that intervention. I wholeheartedly agree about the importance of looking at sustainable aviation fuel and the opportunities it brings in terms of new jobs, aspiration and a future for our children and young adults in the area. People love to fly, and they will always fly. We need that to bring creativity back to our shores and learn from others, so it is massively important that we continue to promote technologies such as sustainable aviation fuel.
If we are looking for growth and reindustrialisation, and if we are looking to decentralise our economy away from London, where better to look than an airport that sits ready and waiting to serve? The promise of apprenticeships and high-paid, good jobs for our young people is another reason that our airport must reopen and one of my major priorities as an MP. Doncaster, like so many towns and cities in the north, has seen many of its brightest young people leave for prospects elsewhere. The promise of regional economic growth is a promise to our young people. It is a promise that says, “Yes, you can chase that brilliant, bright future, and you can chase it right here at home on your doorstep.”
Recently, I was lucky enough to meet the UK’s youngest pilot trainer, and the world’s youngest flight examiner, Kathan Dudhela. We spoke about Doncaster Sheffield airport, and he told me how excited he was that one day he might get to land on that historic runway. I left that conversation inspired by him, and determined to see Doncaster’s young people follow in his great footsteps. I will continue to fight for the apprenticeships and training opportunities that must come alongside a reopened Doncaster Sheffield airport.
So much has been achieved in the last few months. A £20 million investment has been approved, combining funds from Doncaster city council and the South Yorkshire mayoral combined authority, which will go towards supporting the crucial early stage works that are required to mobilise and reopen the airport. An operator, Munich Airport International, has been announced, and before Christmas I was proud, along with many of my hon. Friends, to witness the first flight back since the closure, courtesy of 2Excel, which remained on the site all that time and never lost faith.
Do not get me wrong: things are looking great, but challenges remain. Important practical steps to make Doncaster Sheffield airport operational still need to be taken, and there are still hurdles to jump. However, none of the remaining challenges are impossible. All that is required now is the political will to seize this opportunity and get us over the line. Right now the stars are aligned. The finances are committed, the operator is secured, the Mayor, combined authority and regional MPs are all on the same page. We cannot allow this opportunity to slip through our fingers. This is a moment to show the world that Doncaster and South Yorkshire are once again open for business.
Jake Richards (Rother Valley) (Lab)
My hon. Friend is making a characteristically tub-thumping speech about this airport. My constituency, and Maltby in particular, has many people who worked at and used the airport. My hon. Friend spoke about the opportunities for people to remain at home and still get on in life, which really strikes a chord with me when I speak to young people in Maltby. Does he agree that the airport is not just about flights, but about offering young people a future to remain at home, and a bright future to stay in Maltby?
Lee Pitcher
Most certainly. Our young people have aspirations, but we need to provide jobs and opportunities for all. A reopened airport will provide those great opportunities for lots of different jobs, flights, potential future pilots, and superb jobs on the runway and the ground.
Will the Government make their commitment to a reopened Doncaster Sheffield airport clear? Will the Minister explain what concrete steps the Government will take to support the economic benefits of a reopened DSA, and will he commit tonight to supporting the full reopening of our airspace and to avoiding any further delays? We have seen the results across our great nation time and again, when vital regional infrastructure is not nurtured with the political will needed to sustain it. The desire for something different is a big part of the reason that the last election returned so many Labour MPs. Voters had had enough of regional decline, and enough of being told that this was the way it had to be. They wanted hope. This new Government promised to give them that hope, and they must now keep that promise.
My constituency office sits just across the road from the terminal building of Doncaster Sheffield airport. When I head into work, I look across the road and see a building that is beginning to wake back up after a fretful sleep. As Mark Chadwick told me, this transformative initiative is not just about securing a prosperous future for ourselves; it also paves the way for our children, and our children’s children. The reopening of our airport stands as a beacon of hope, offering unparalleled prospects for the community now and for generations to come. I am ready, all of us in Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme are ready. South Yorkshire is ready, the region is ready, and we want to see those planes above Doncaster once again.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Mike Kane)
Shakespeare said:
“Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.”
I think it is all three in the case of my hon. Friend the Member for Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme (Lee Pitcher). As a Lancastrian, I am feeling rather intimidated by the line-up of Members on the Benches behind me, but thank God I have the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon) on my side, even though he is sitting on the Opposition Benches.
I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme on securing this important debate about the economic contribution of Doncaster Sheffield airport. I also congratulate him on being appointed as Labour’s utilities business champion. My hon. Friend has a great CV, from working his way up in the water industry to delivering logistics and infrastructure, so he knows what he is talking about when it comes to aviation infrastructure. He may be Mr Doncaster, but our hon. Friend the Member for Doncaster Central (Sally Jameson) is Mrs Doncaster. As the aviation Minister, I fear the Division Lobby some evenings, as I am rugby tackled day in, day out about getting Doncaster Sheffield airport reopened. My hon. Friends care about the future of the airport, their constituents and the wider South Yorkshire region.
I have listened very carefully to the considered comments made by my hon. Friend the Member for Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme, and by all the Members who contributed, and I will try to address most of them, but first I want to say a few words about Doncaster Sheffield airport. I know there was deep disappointment in South Yorkshire and beyond when the previous owners decided to close the airport at the end of 2022. That marked the end of a 17-year operation as a commercial airport, but before that it had a long and illustrious history as RAF Finningley. My hon. Friend mentioned Jean Lennox Bird, the first female RAF pilot in the UK. As we approach International Women’s Day, her contribution should not go unnoticed by the House.
The airport was well regarded by the people and airlines that used it, and it was frequently rated by Which? magazine as the best airport in the UK, with excellent customer service and passenger experience. Passenger numbers were continuing to grow prior to the pandemic, with more than 1.4 million passengers in 2019. From my many discussions with hon. Members from Doncaster and the Doncaster area—quite a few of them are sitting around me tonight—I know that its closure was deeply felt by the local community. I understand that the “Save Doncaster Sheffield airport” petition has had more than 100,000 signatures, which is impressive.
I am pleased to hear about the progress made in the airport’s reopening and the benefits that could bring, which I will come to shortly, but I want to set out the importance of aviation for the growth and prosperity of the nation. Madam Deputy Speaker, you know that I grew up under an aviation runway in my home constituency of Wythenshawe and Sale East. Going to Manchester airport as a child and seeing the BAC One-Elevens, the Tridents and the Concordes, and even the space shuttle doing a low pass on the back of a jumbo jet in the mid-1980s, was inspirational for me, as it is for so many people as a career for the future.
As we keep saying, growth is this Government’s No. 1 priority. In her recent speech, the Chancellor was clear about the importance of the aviation sector in enabling that economic growth. Her speech invited proposals for a third runway at Heathrow and announced a new partnership between Prologis and East Midlands airport to build a new advanced manufacturing park, unlocking £1 billion in investment and jobs. That is a clear demonstration of how aviation can contribute significantly to the economy, through being a key enabler of international trade, investments and connectivity.
Aviation is also a major employer in its own right, as I see in my own constituency. In 2022, the air transport and aerospace sectors alone directly provided around 240,000 jobs across the UK, providing opportunities in every part of the country. Overall, in 2023 the air transport and aerospace sectors directly contributed over £20 billion to UK GDP. That is why aviation is a key component of the Government’s transport strategy, enabling economic growth and connectivity, and investing in sustainability by connecting people, places and business.
Regional airports such as Doncaster Sheffield airport have an important role to play. They serve our local communities—people are proud of them—and they serve business by supporting thousands of jobs in the regions and acting as a gateway to international opportunities, whether that is a family holiday or supporting major investment decisions. They also provide important connectivity, helping to connect communities across the UK and the wider world.
I have been interested in hearing about the South Yorkshire airport city vision, which has the reopened airport at its heart. It is proposed that a reopened Doncaster Sheffield airport could help to raise economic and social wellbeing in Doncaster, delivering employment and facilitating wider development, which could help to unlock growth for South Yorkshire. As my hon. Friend the Member for Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme said, the council’s business case indicates that the airport’s reopening and wider development has the potential to support more than 5,000 direct jobs, boost the economy by £5 billion and provide wider welfare benefits of £2 billion by 2050.
I welcome the efforts of the council and the Mayors of Doncaster and of South Yorkshire to secure the future of the airport and the economic opportunities for the region. Significant progress has already been made, with the agreement of City of Doncaster council to lease the airport. The return of aviation activities in December last year was an important milestone, as was mentioned, as 2Excel landed the first aircraft there in three years. As the aviation Minister, I add my thanks and congratulations to it for sticking with the airport.
As my hon. Friend said, another important milestone was reached earlier this month, as Munich Airport International was appointed by City of Doncaster council to help to progress the airport’s reopening. There will be many more milestones and many more challenges, but, as the Chancellor set out in her recent speech, this Government will work with City of Doncaster council and the Mayor of South Yorkshire to support their efforts to reopen Doncaster Sheffield airport as a thriving regional airport.
As well as the airport, this Government are committed to supporting all modes of travel in the region to support the local economy. Last November, South Yorkshire was allocated £17 million-worth of bus improvement plans and funding to support bus services. Just last week, the Mayor of South Yorkshire was informed that he would receive more than £5 million in the next financial year to invest in active travel, which is in addition to almost £9 million for South Yorkshire. In January, the Department announced funding for low-emission vehicles as part of the levy funding, as well as funding for zero-emission buses, proving the Government’s commitment to decarbonisation.
The South Yorkshire mayoral combined authority received £8.4 million of funding from the ZEBRA 1 programme for 27 electric buses and charging infrastructure. Furthermore, the Government are progressing planning and design work to support future delivery of our plans for northern rail connectivity, and we will set out details in due course. That will inform the work being undertaken, such as the development of Rotherham mainline station. I am also pleased to support South Yorkshire’s local transport priorities with an investment of £570 million through the city region sustainable transport settlements programme. That is a five-year deal with £5.7 billion of Government investment to improve the transport networks of eight city regions across the UK.
As part of our commitment to local transport, we announced in the autumn Budget that we will uplift funds and funding nationally in this area in 2025-26 by £200 million, helping to improve the local transport in our largest city regions and drive growth and productivity across the country. I mention that because transport is a rich tapestry, and having an airport as a hub is important. We know that the destinations that airports reach are dependent on public transport penetration time of within an hour, so improving public transport and active travel in this area will help Doncaster Sheffield airport to reach the markets it wants to reach in the future.
My hon. Friend the Member for Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme also spoke about airspace at Doncaster Sheffield airport. Airspace modernisation is one of our manifesto commitments, and the Government are committed to its delivery. It remains a key aviation priority for the Department, which aims to deliver quicker, quieter and cleaner journeys to benefit those who use and are affected by UK airspace. We have seen great progress in airspace modernisation in the north, with airports now preparing for their public consultations. I know that officials and the Civil Aviation Authority will be working tirelessly to make sure that we reopen that airspace in the interests of Doncaster Sheffield airport.
Again, I congratulate my hon. Friend on securing this debate, which has been an opportunity for hon. Members to highlight the importance of Doncaster Sheffield airport to their constituents and regions. My officials and I look forward to continuing engagement with both South Yorkshire combined authority and City of Doncaster council to support their efforts to reopen this airport.
Question put and agreed to.