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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that Airbus continues its operations in the UK after the UK leaves the EU.

The UK is a strong supporter of Airbus and its UK suppliers and we engage frequently and constructively on their UK investment and activity. Alongside industry we will invest almost £4 billion in aerospace research and technology by 2026 to ensure the UK remains a world leader in civil aerospace.

We are working closely with Airbus and other UK based companies to understand their concerns ahead of leaving the EU. We have been clear that we are determined to secure a deal with the EU that meets the sector’s needs. This includes our ambition to seek continued participation in EASA, maintaining barrier free trade, avoiding disruption to supply chains, and allowing employees to work across sites within Europe.