Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the economic and social contribution of Bristol Airport to (a) the Exchequer and (b) local communities; and if he will make a statement.

The Government's Aviation Policy Framework, published in March 2013, recognised the contribution that airports across the UK – such as Bristol Airport – make to local, regional and national economies, and the important role they play an in securing connectivity for local populations. Bristol Airport handled over six million passengers during 2013, has direct air services to over one hundred destinations, and its on-site businesses provide valuable employment for approximately three thousand people.

Last month the independent Airports Commission published a call for evidence on the domestic and international air connectivity provided by airports across the country. It also examines connectivity trends at these airports, how the business models of these airports are developing, and whether the connectivity provided by these airports can be enhanced.