Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will provide additional sector specific support to workers in the transport sector to tackle the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on that sector.

The Aviation Skills Retention Platform is being delivered in partnership with the Talent Retention Solutions. The Platform was launched on 10 February 2021 for industry registrations, followed by individual registrations in early March. It allows former and current aviation sector workers who are currently out of work to register their skills, so they can be notified of relevant job opportunities, advice and upskilling opportunities. This platform is a tool for the future, which will aim to retain vital skills within the industry and help address the skills gap that existed prior to the pandemic. To date the Department provided £387,377 funding for this programme.

During the pandemic, the Government has provided over £1.5bn in emergency support for bus and light rail operators. This has provided funding to ensure that vehicles and staff were provided with the correct PPE and ensured that operators did not make significant reductions in staff numbers.