Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of Ryanair's plans to reduce fares in Winter 2021 on the Government's progress to meet its net zero target.

The UK has a legal obligation to achieve net zero across the whole economy by 2050 and the aviation sector will need to meet this target irrespective of any changes to fares.

In July we published our Jet Zero Consultation which set out our vision for the aviation sector to reach net zero by 2050, through the rapid development of technologies in a way that maintains the benefits of air travel and maximises the opportunities that decarbonisation can bring for the UK.

In the consultation we proposed setting a net zero trajectory from 2025 to 2050 with interim targets for the sector, and consulted on reviewing progress on the sector’s progress and updating the strategy where necessary, every five years.

Officials are currently considering consultation responses, with an aim to publish the final Jet Zero Strategy in early 2022.

As commercial operators, airlines select their routes and set their fare structures according to market demand and other factors. As an airline licensed to operate commercial flights in the UK, Ryanair do not require individual permissions from the Government to operate specific routes and make their own decisions about ticket prices and therefore it would be inappropriate for the Government to intervene.