Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans she has to visit Bombardier in Belfast to discuss its ongoing dispute with Boeing; and if she will make a statement.

My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy visited Bombardier Aerostructures and Engineering Services (Shorts) in Belfast to discuss the Boeing dispute in July; he also visited Bombardier in Montreal in October and met with its Board. Minister Richard Harrington visited Bombardier in Belfast in August. Both the Secretary of State and the Minister are in regular dialogue with Bombardier’s top management in both Belfast and Montreal. In addition, senior BEIS officials continue to visit Belfast frequently for discussions with the company, most recently on the 11^th January.

The next stage in the dispute proceedings is at the end of January when the International Trade Commission will consider the Department of Commerce’s findings and whether there has been an injury to the US aerospace industry. The Secretary of State will make a statement to the House after the final ruling and will keep under review the need for further direct ministerial visits to the Belfast site.

Safeguarding jobs at Bombardier Aerospace (Shorts) in Belfast remains a top priority for the Government and we will continue to do all we can to see the case resolved positively, working closely with Bombardier and the Canadian Government.