Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between David Simmonds and Robert Courts

Thursday 17th March 2022 Commons Chamber

[David Simmonds (Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner) (Con)]

12. If he will review the airports national policy statement 2018 following the development of his Department’s jet zero strategy.

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

We will not review the airports national policy statement at this time, but will consider the case again once the jet zero strategy has been finalised and there is more certainty about the longer-term impact of covid on aviation.

[David Simmonds]

As chair of the all-party parliamentary group on airport communities, I know that many colleagues would like to know whether, in the light of the jet zero strategy, we now have the opportunity to spread the benefits of cleaner air travel to a larger selection of airports across the United Kingdom.

[Robert Courts]

My hon. Friend is quite right that the jet zero strategy provides the opportunity to spread cleaner, greener air travel across all parts of the UK. For example, the UK sustainable aviation fuel industry could create up to 11,000 green jobs while helping to level up with production facilities across the UK. We will be looking at regional aviation in our forthcoming aviation strategy.