Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of NATS funding for operational resilience relative to dividend distributions in each of the last five financial years.

NATS is a private company, run by its own board. The Transport Secretary appoints three non-executive directors to NATS’ board to look after the Government's stake but does not run the company on a day-to-day basis.

NATS is required to submit plans relating to its investments in its systems and critical infrastructure upgrades to the CAA on a regular basis. This allows the regulator the opportunity to scrutinise these, and to ensure that safety and the efficiency of NATS operation is always prioritised. However, decisions made in relation to dividends for shareholders are a matter for NATS Board.

As part of the independent review into NATS’ performance following the incidents that occurred on 8 and 21 September this year, the CAA will complete a broader assessment of NATS' resilience, capital investment and modernisation plans, as well as the effectiveness of the CAA's own regulatory oversight. An initial findings report is due to be completed by end of January 2027, with a final report submitted by the end of March 2027.