Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment his Department has made of effect of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement on the UK’s charter, cargo and freight aviation sectors.

Under the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), UK airlines - whether passenger, cargo, scheduled or non-scheduled - can operate without restriction between points in the UK and points in the EU. Furthermore, the TCA recognises that, at their discretion, EU Member states may permit UK airlines to operate non-scheduled air services within and beyond the EU (so long as they are not a “disguised” form of scheduled service). The TCA also allows the UK and individual EU Member States to negotiate and agree a bilateral exchange of “5th Freedom” all-cargo rights. My officials are engaging closely with EU Member States and with industry on these matters.