Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will hold discussions with the Competition and Markets Authority on airport owners increasing (a) airport and (b) drop-off charges above the cost of inflation.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department does not intend to hold discussions with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) on these matters.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has concurrent powers with the CMA to enforce the prohibitions in the Competition Act 1998 as they relate to airport operation services and the supply of air traffic services.

In relation to drop-off charges, in 2016, the CAA published a review of market conditions for surface access at UK airports. This concluded that there was insufficient evidence that passengers were not being well-served by the current market structure of surface access charges, where these are decided and managed by the airport operator, to warrant a review.

Although the Government and the CAA do not regulate airport car parking charges, including drop-off charges, the Department expects car parking at airports to be managed appropriately and for consumers to be treated fairly. Many UK airports offer free drop-off alternatives either a short walk from the airport or provide free shuttle bus services.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make it her policy to allow an hon. Member's office to be the accountable body for Town of Culture bids for 2028 when the Local Authority is not willing to participate in the bid process.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

We are delighted by the interest and excitement there has been in the UK Town of Culture competition. The competition has now closed and there has been strong interest from many places right across the UK.

Local authority participation is important as it will be critical for delivery. That is why published criteria stated ‘We expect bids to be from a partnership for your bidding place and include the relevant local authorities.’

Question

To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, if the Electoral Commission will take steps to investigate whether grants given by them to political parties have been used inappropriately, including for a criminal purpose.

Answered by Jeremy Wright

Political parties with two or more sitting MPs are entitled to a share of the £2 million policy development grant, which is intended to assist parties in developing the policies that they will present in an election manifesto.

The Commission distributes these funds and checks carefully that the grant is spent on policy development activities. Parties have to report on their use of the funds and have that grant expenditure independently audited. If there is evidence of any misuse, the Commission will take appropriate action to safeguard public money. Any criminal offences are a matter for the police to investigate.