Oral Answers to Questions

Andrew Gwynne Excerpts

Thursday 11th March 2021 Commons Chamber

The Secretary of State was asked—

[Andrew Gwynne (Denton and Reddish) (Lab)]

What steps he is taking to help ensure the recovery of the UK aviation sector following the rollout of the covid-19 vaccine.

[Amy Callaghan (East Dunbartonshire) (SNP)]

What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on support for the aviation industry.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Robert Courts)]

The Government have provided significant financial support to aviation workers and businesses. The global travel taskforce will report in April on a return to safe and sustainable international travel.

[Andrew Gwynne [V]]

Last week, the Chancellor set out the support he is providing to businesses until they can reopen their doors, but although the Office for National Statistics showed that aviation was the worst-affected sector, it was not given a single mention. Does the Minister agree that the support already provided to airports will not be enough to cover them losing many times that amount each month? Is he not missing a trick here both to help the sector to survive and help it to modernise to meet our climate change obligations?

[Robert Courts]

The Government have given the aviation sector approximately £7 billion of support over the course of the pandemic. The Budget we heard last week from the Chancellor extended both the furlough scheme and the airport and ground operations support scheme for another six months. What we are doing to support and help the sector is the global travel taskforce. It is through getting people travelling sustainably and robustly that we will see brighter days ahead.