Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take steps to challenge European Aviation Safety Agency regulations that prevent the Civil Aviation Authority from granting medical certificates to allow HIV positive individuals to become commercial airline pilots.

The Department for Transport and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) support a rule change in granting medical certificates to allow individuals with HIV to become commercial airline pilots, where this is supported by evidence-based medical research. The Chief Executive of CAA has written to the Executive Director of the European Aviation Safety Agency, asking them to commission the necessary research without delay. The CAA has already been working with, and is seeking advice from, HIV experts including the British HIV Association, to further its understanding and gather the necessary information, which could enable a change in the rules.