Draft Aviation Safety (Amendment) Regulations 2025
Keir Mather Excerpts(3 weeks, 2 days ago)
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Keir Mather)
I beg to move,
That the Committee has considered the draft Aviation Safety (Amendment) Regulations 2025.
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Efford, and to discuss the draft regulations, which were laid before the House on 16 July—my first statutory instrument in my new role. I look forward to many exchanges with the hon. Members for Mid Buckinghamshire and for Wimbledon in rooms like this. Let us hope that they are all on as sunny a morning as this one.
UK airspace and airlines are among the safest in the world. Even with that success, we are not complacent: the Government are committed to maintaining and improving the high safety standards in aviation. The UK is committed to ensuring that technical requirements remain up to date and in line with international standards and best practice. The Civil Aviation Authority is responsible for developing and advising the Government on amendments to the technical requirements and regulations.
This statutory instrument has four objectives, three of which relate to the continuing airworthiness regulation, which ensures that the maintenance and repair of aircraft is conducted safely. First, the instrument will make amendments to the continuing airworthiness regulation regarding the release of aircraft parts into service. Currently, for all components added to an aircraft, the maintenance organisation is required to issue a form 1, which certifies that the parts are safe to be released to service—a long and technically complex process. The instrument will allow approved design organisations to release components for service by making a less onerous declaration of maintenance; this declaration can be used only for parts that have a negligible impact on the safety of the aircraft, such as a pilot’s document holder. These amendments will complete the introduction of a policy that was introduced by the Aviation Safety (Amendment) Regulations 2023 to the initial airworthiness regulation, and will help to reduce the burden on maintenance organisations.
Secondly, the instrument will rationalise parts of the continuing airworthiness regulation by combining similar requirements in one location, making the regulations easier to follow. The instrument will also reintroduce an amendment regarding qualification requirements for maintenance staff that was erroneously omitted.
Thirdly, the instrument will rationalise and correct references and errors in the continuing airworthiness regulation arising from the Aviation Safety (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019, the 2023 regulations and the Aviation Safety (Amendment) Regulations 2024.
Lastly, the instrument will amend articles 62 and 69 of the basic regulation. Under the Civil Aviation Act 1982, the CAA has always had the ability to delegate its functions or tasks to third parties, known as qualified entities. A similar power existed under a previous version of the basic regulation and was used when the CAA considered that the relevant skills sat outside the CAA—for example to delegate to the Office for Nuclear Regulation the authorisation of the carriage of dangerous goods such as radioactive materials—or when a third party was better placed to assess an issue than the CAA or able to better protect the public. For example, the meteorological obligations resting with the CAA are delegated to the UK Met Office.
However, following changes to the 2018 basic regulation, those delegation powers could no longer be used by the CAA for aviation safety tasks. The instrument will amend articles 62 and 69 of the basic regulation in a way that reactivates the CAA’s power to delegate aviation safety tasks. The CAA intends to use these powers to delegate to qualified third parties the training and examination of drone pilots, as well as the assessment of drones’ flightworthiness. This is similar to the CAA’s approach to pilot training for fixed-wing and helicopter aircraft. By delegating those powers, the CAA will be able to support the sector to develop and grow new technologies more quickly, supporting growth and innovation.
We must continue to ensure that aviation remains among the safest forms of travel, as the safety of aviation and the travelling public is a high priority for this Government. The draft regulations represent a further step in ensuring that that remains the case. I commend them to the Committee.
Keir Mather
I thank the shadow Minister for his constructive tone in engaging with me on the important issue of aviation safety. He asked how the CAA will put the powers to use. It intends to use them to delegate to qualified third parties the training and examination of drone pilots, as well as the assessments of drones’ flightworthiness. As the shadow Minister alluded to, that is incredibly important for growth opportunities and innovation in the UK aviation sector. It is important to have such a delegated power to accredited third parties with the expertise necessary to undertake the work.
The shadow Minister asked whether we are confident in the CAA’s ability to delegate these powers effectively. We are. The CAA has a strict accreditation regime when it delegates these powers. We will be working very closely with it as it implements the draft regulations.
Lastly, the shadow Minister asked me to comment on the powers gap that emerges from changes made as a result of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act. We will still have the power to make statutory instruments that relate to these measures, under both the affirmative and negative procedure, until the middle of next year, when that will change. We are exploring options to make regulations that are clearer and easier to follow; I can update the shadow Minister on that in due course. The CAA retains the right to use emergency regulation if it thinks that there is a pressing need to do so. I hope the shadow Minister feels that I have answered his questions, but if he requires any further information, I will be happy to respond in writing.
I thank Committee members for their consideration. The safety of aviation and travel in public remains an absolute priority for this Government. The Department for Transport is committed to ensuring that aviation remains safe. The draft regulations represent a further step in doing so.
Question put and agreed to.
Civil Aviation Authority Annual Progress Report
Keir Mather Excerpts(3 weeks, 3 days ago)
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Keir Mather)
This Government are committed to accelerating the airspace modernisation programme, as a key enabler to unlocking economic growth through expanding the aviation sector.
The impacts of our outdated airspace are felt by both the sector and passengers, and it is vital that we deliver modernisation of UK airspace to reduce flight times, improve reliability of services, and deliver on our climate and environmental obligations. Modernisation does not stop at conventional passenger aircraft but will also enable the integration of emerging aviation technologies, future-proofing our skies for the next generation of aircraft and making meaningful contributions towards our net zero targets.
Since the start of this Government, we have seen considerable progress on a number of elements within the airspace modernisation strategy. Some of our most significant developments include:
The announcement of the formation of the UK airspace design service, which will deliver holistic and modernised airspace design for the complex London terminal airspace by taking forward airports’ airspace change proposals in a co-ordinated manner.
The successful conclusion of the consultation on the scope and funding model for the UKADS. This will help deliver a step change in how airspace change is delivered, and work is under way to establish the UKADS so it can be operational this year.
The intent to create a new UK airspace design support fund to cover relevant costs of the sponsors of eligible UK airport ACPs that are outside the scope of UKADS.
Progress being made by the 20 airports advancing their ACPs as part of the terminal airspace redesign element, with almost all of the London airports now progressing on to stage 3 of the process, including Heathrow and Gatwick.
The deployment of Pairwise at Heathrow, which has enabled an innovative new way to safely reduce the separation of aircraft upon landing, improving efficiency and reducing delays at Britain’s busiest airport.
Work progressing well on enabling the full integration of UK airspace, including supporting the safe integration of new airspace users, like drones. Following the completion of extensive research projects and stakeholder engagement, the development of an electronic conspicuity concept of operations, outlining the requirements to enable integration, is complete and under review.
The publication of part 3 of the strategy, consisting of the deployment plan, in July 2024, outlining the delivery milestones for the projects in progress or due to commence over the next 7 years.
The airspace modernisation annual progress report, produced by the Civil Aviation Authority, is a requirement by the Secretary of State for Transport and provides details of the progress made within the programme, as well as the policy development work carried out by the CAA against each of the AMS’s elements. This report covers the period from January to December 2024.
It provides a clear overview of the progress that has been delivered across the nine delivery elements and the multiple projects within each one. It also illustrates areas of delay or concern, and what mitigations and measures are in place to reduce them. The full report is available on the CAA website.
This annual progress report, as with previous ones, will be filed in the Library of each House as a record of the work conducted by the CAA during the period of 1 January to 31 December 2024.
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UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions
Keir Mather Excerpts(3 weeks, 3 days ago)
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Keir Mather)
In March 2025, the Department for Transport published the maritime decarbonisation strategy, which set out the pathway for our domestic maritime sector to reach zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and included policies and regulations to drive emissions reductions. Research and development is needed to ensure that clean maritime technologies are available at scale as early as possible at an affordable price for the sector to adopt. Supporting UK R&D builds on UK expertise and innovation—a guiding principle of the MDS.
Since 2022, the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions—UK SHORE—programme in the DfT has allocated £240 million R&D funding to develop clean maritime technologies. UK SHORE has funded more than 200 projects leveraging over £110 million direct private investment. This funding has benefited all UK nations and regions, supporting over 500 organisations including over 250 SMEs. UK SHORE has enabled the sector to develop electric and efficiency solutions for various vessel types, like ferries, cargo vessels and offshore wind vessels, and progressed zero and near zero greenhouse gas emission solutions, such as hydrogen, ammonia and methanol. Further R&D is required to develop solutions to maturity and increase commercial viability.
That is why I am pleased to announce that we intend to fund £448 million of R&D investment for UK SHORE between 2026 and 2030. Building on the successes to date, the second phase of UK SHORE will further accelerate the technologies necessary to decarbonise the UK maritime sector and meet MDS aims through R&D, and capture economic growth opportunities by cementing the UK as a place for maritime innovation. Subject to business case approval, this will unlock innovation and investment potential in UK technologies, in UK businesses, at UK ports and in UK shipyards.
Today, I am providing our proposed outline of the future UK SHORE programme to allow industry to plan the next five years of clean maritime innovation. In collaboration with Innovate UK as a delivery partner, UK SHORE will:
Accelerate the commercialisation of developed technologies, including through a future round of the zero emission vessels and infrastructure competition—ZEVI2—to be launched in 2026. This will fund the build and commercial trial of clean maritime solutions.
Develop emerging technologies through to being ready for market, including through a seventh round of the clean maritime demonstration competition—CMDC7—to be launched in 2026, focusing on real-world demonstration projects concluding in 2030. This will be followed by two more rounds to be launched between 2027 and 2029.
Support early scientific research of novel technologies through the ongoing work of the Clean Maritime Research Hub until at least 2028 in collaboration with the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.
Enable development of whole system solutions and penetration of international markets through international R&D. This includes participation in the global Eureka research programme to conduct pre-deployment trials.
We will also focus efforts on tackling the barriers to the scale up of the technologies and companies supported through this funding, working with Innovate UK, across Government, the National Wealth Fund and the British Business Bank.
Through supporting UK businesses to accelerate technologies through to market-readiness, UK SHORE will advance competitive advantage in clean maritime solutions while complementing wider UK strengths in R&D like automotive, battery systems and hydrogen propulsion. The work to scale up UK technologies and penetrate international markets will strengthen the UK supply chain, increase exports and bolster international leadership. Finally, UK SHORE will aim to continue investment in each devolved Administration and all regions of the UK, supporting growth in coastal communities and manufacturing heartlands.
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Oral Answers to Questions
Keir Mather Excerpts(4 weeks ago)
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Keir Mather)
Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.
This year, our Department will publish the integrated national transport strategy outlining our long-term vision for transport in England. It will set out how the transport sector, Government and local leaders should work together to improve people’s everyday journeys however they choose to travel, including how people access ports and airports. We look forward to providing more information in due course.
Joe Robertson
I welcome the new maritime Minister to his place—it comes to something when Isle of Wight ferry company Red Funnel is operating ferries that are older than the new Minister. Will he speak to his new colleague in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Minister responsible for English devolution, to ensure that the new Mayor for Hampshire and the Solent actually has regulatory or licensing powers over transport across the Solent? If the Government create a new local leader without any powers over integrating the island that I represent, as the Member for Isle of Wight East, into the mainland, they will have failed to deliver any form of genuine integrated local transport for my constituents.
Keir Mather
The hon. Member speaks with passion about the state of ferry services in his constituency. It is an issue that I am keen to engage with him on further; I know the former maritime Minister, my hon. Friend the Member for Wythenshawe and Sale East (Mike Kane), was very engaged in this work, too. I am looking to meet the hon. Gentleman next week, alongside my hon. Friend the Member for Isle of Wight West (Mr Quigley), to take this conversation forward. On stakeholder engagement with the ferry operator itself, that local engagement is something I will be taking part in through the Department. I look forward to engaging with the hon. Gentleman as I take that process forward.
Euan Stainbank (Falkirk) (Lab)
Alan Gemmell (Central Ayrshire) (Lab)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Keir Mather)
Our airports are gateways to the world for the British people and for investment into the UK from across the globe. The Government are committed to supporting the aviation sector as a central part of our growth mission. We are progressing airport planning decisions and modernising airspace; we invited and received proposals for Heathrow expansion, encouraging billions in investment; and to support sustainable growth we have introduced the sustainable aviation fuel mandate and the Bill on revenue certainty.
Alan Gemmell
I congratulate my hon. Friend the Minister on his new position. I spent the weekend in the bonny town of Ayr for the Ayr show, celebrating the aviation sector’s contribution to my constituency and the wider west of Scotland economy. That contribution includes companies such as BAE, Collins Aerospace, GE Caledonian, NATS, Spirit AeroSystems and Woodward, the turnaround of Prestwick airport, and the commitment of defence scale-up Aeralis to build the first British-built jet in 50 years at Prestwick. Does the Minister agree that we need to continue to support our aviation sector to create well-paying jobs at Prestwick and across the UK?
Keir Mather
My hon. Friend has championed Prestwick airport and the aviation sector in his constituency, and I agree with him that aviation is vital to the UK’s industrial and regional prosperity. In 2022, air transport and aerospace supported around 240,000 jobs nationwide. The Government remain committed to backing the sector to deliver high-quality, well-paid jobs from Prestwick to communities across the length and breadth of the United Kingdom.
John Milne (Horsham) (LD)
David Davis (Goole and Pocklington) (Con)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Keir Mather)
The Government are supporting the UK’s sustainable aviation fuel industry through the SAF mandate, the advanced fuels fund and new legislation introducing a revenue certainty mechanism. We are working with industry to cut emissions, to boost UK production, to create high-quality green jobs and to attract investment while ensuring value for money.
David Davis
I congratulate my parliamentary neighbour on his accession. It is good to see his talents recognised.
Much of the technology currently used in sustainable aviation fuel is of foreign origin. Part of the reason for that is that no Government body directly supports the development of core technologies used for that, supporting only the development of production facilities. The Aerospace Technology Institute, for example, should be able to invest in research and development programmes to develop sustainable fuel, but is currently not permitted to do so. Will the Minister look at allowing that, so we can accelerate the development of our own technology in this area?
Keir Mather
The right hon. Gentleman will know that through the ATI programme, the Department for Business and Trade co-invests with industry in research and technology development in the UK to maintain and grow the UK’s competitive position in civil aerospace. In addition, we fund the UK SAF Clearing House to help fuel producers navigate the testing and approval requirements for non-fossil fuel-based jet fuel. It co-ordinates testing and qualifications of SAF, helping to remove barriers to new fuels coming to market. Plus, the advanced fuels fund has allocated £198 million, with a core aim of overcoming technological risk for early-stage projects to support UK SAF production. If the right hon. Member wishes to discuss any other aspects of this policy, I will be very glad to meet him.
Torcuil Crichton (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (Lab)
On the subject of aviation, the beautiful Isle of Barra airport in my constituency has had to cancel 14% of its flights in the last year on the beautiful beach runway. This is not, on the whole, due to bad weather or tides, but because the Brexiteering Tories withdrew us from the European satellite navigation system, which allows flights to land in low visibility and bad weather. Will the new Minister celebrate his role by meeting me on the beach to discuss rejoining—perhaps not the European Union but at least the European geostationary navigation overlay service, EGNOS?
Keir Mather
What an attractive proposition from my hon. Friend—and so early in my tenure in this position. He raises an incredibly important matter, and it would be remiss of me not to give it the full attention it deserves, and therefore I will respond to his specific questions further in writing.
Mr Andrew Snowden (Fylde) (Con)