Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans his Department has to support UK SMEs developing innovative decarbonisation technologies in the aviation sector other than through the Aerospace Technology Institute.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is responsible for aerospace manufacturing, however the Department for Transport (DfT) is supporting UK SMEs to develop technology for use at airports to support the decarbonisation of the aviation sector.

In October, DfT announced the latest round of Transport Research and Innovation Grant (TRIG) funding which includes £450,000 for up to 10 projects that either facilitate the development of airport ground infrastructure for zero emission aircraft or support airport operations in their transition to zero emission. TRIG is open to UK registered SMEs, large companies and universities.

The Government also works with industry and academia through the Jet Zero Council, co-chaired by the Secretaries of State for Transport, Business and Trade and Energy Security and Net Zero, to drive the delivery of new technologies and innovative ways to cut aviation emissions.