Draft Air Traffic Management (Amendment Etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020

Kerry McCarthy Excerpts

Tuesday 9th June 2020 General Committees

[Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East) (Lab)]

It is a pleasure to see you in the Chair, Mrs Cummins. I do not intend to take up too much of the Committee’s time, which I am sure everyone will appreciate, but I want to place a few things on the record. First, I thank the Minister for the pre-briefing with her civil servants that she offered me earlier today. Particularly with what, on the surface, can seem to be quite obscure statutory instruments, it is always helpful to have access to the same advice as the Minister. I thank the civil servants for taking part in that.

The statutory instrument is not controversial and I do not intend to oppose it, but it is important for the reasons that the Minister outlined. Obviously, air traffic management is an extremely important aspect of the successful and safe operation of the aviation industry, so it is right, now that the UK has left the EU and the end of the transition period looms, that the relevant powers in relation to air traffic management are transferred to the Secretary of State and authorities such as the Civil Aviation Authority and NATS Holdings to ensure that all air traffic flows can safely continue. We might have our own views as to the wisdom of leaving the EU and having to replicate all this or take it back into our hands, but we have probably exhausted that debate, and I do not intend to revisit it, although I cannot promise that I will not at some point in future, particularly as we get towards the end of the year.

The European Union’s single European sky legislation successfully enhanced air traffic safety for many years, so I am glad to see a broad continuity in policy throughout these regulations. We certainly support smooth legislative continuity for the aviation industry as the transition period ends.

There was much uncertainty for the sector because of Brexit, but that has obviously been heightened by the ongoing covid-19 crisis and the fact that so many flights have been grounded. The need for certainty and safety in aviation is why we will not oppose this statutory instrument, and why we will try to work with the transport team as much as possible. I do not have the aviation brief; I have the EU brief, and the brief for things such as decarbonisation of transport, on which the Minister and I have worked closely; I appreciate her doing that. I sent her another letter this afternoon—just to flag that up—about car scrappage. I am sure she looks forward to seeing that in her inbox when she returns to the Department.

At a time when the industry faces such immense economic difficulties because of the ongoing pandemic, it is right that we do not put up any more legislative barriers for the sector. The priority must be providing clarity on the future for the sector post transition, and that is what we are attempting to do today by ensuring that the legislation passes and the responsibilities are transferred away from the European Commission without further hold-up.

As negotiations with the EU continue, albeit far from smoothly—I am sure the Minister will agree there is a lot to get through before the end of the transition period—I hope that the Government ensure that there is close co-operation between the UK and the EU on the research, development and deployment of new air traffic management technologies, regulation and network management functions in future.

Air traffic management and aviation generally is an area where close international co-operation will always be absolutely vital, and the UK’s relationship with the European Union can be no exception to that. I thank the Minister, and you, Mrs Cummins, for giving me the opportunity to speak. I very much look forward to working with the Minister in future.