Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential economic effect on the surrounding area of the opening of Carlisle Airport to domestic flights.

The Department for Transport has not made such an assessment. Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership has made £4.75 million available from its Local Growth Fund towards infrastructure improvements at Carlisle Airport. It would be a matter for airlines to decide which commercial flights they operate from the airport.