Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the importance of direct long-haul air links with a hub airport for international trade.

Evidence on the links between long-haul air connections and international trade was presented by the Airports Commission in its Final Report and supporting documents. The Government is considering all of this evidence very carefully before reaching a view on its preferred scheme. The Government is not providing a running commentary on this work before an announcement on its preference.