Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will place in the Library a copy of the legal advice provided to his Department on the provision of subsidies for regional air connections from UK airports to Heathrow airport.

The current regulation is clear that subsidies can be provided under Public Service Obligations (PSOs). The Government already subsidises three PSO routes to London airports (Newquay to Gatwick; Dundee to Stansted; and Londonderry to Stansted).

The Department has taken further legal advice on the Government’s interpretation of existing PSO regulations as part of the development of policy to improve connections between Heathrow and the regions and nations of the UK should expansion go ahead. This will be central to achieving the Secretary of State’s ambition for up to 15% of slots from a new runway being used for domestic routes.

The Government’s position on domestic connectivity will be set out in a Green Paper on the Aviation Strategy this autumn and while Government does not publish legal advice, other relevant documents will be published alongside this consultation as appropriate.