Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to increase regional aviation capacity.

The Government recognises that regional air connectivity across the UK is very important and airports support regional economies, create skilled employment opportunities and enable business and leisure travel. However, the UK aviation market operates in a competitive, commercial environment; it is therefore for airlines to determine which routes they operate.

A priority for the new Aviation Strategy (Call for Evidence published July 2017) will be to ensure that the aviation sector continues to provide and improve regional connectivity across the regions and nations of the UK in a way that benefits the country as a whole. Also, as part of the Call for Evidence we asked for views on the proposed policy to support airports throughout the UK making the best use of their existing runways, subject to environmental issues being addressed, and we are now considering those responses.