Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Northern Ireland Executive about the provision of support to the aviation industry in Northern Ireland during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Government has been working closely with the NI Executive to maintain UK connectivity between Great Britain and Northern Ireland throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.

Thanks to a generous £5.7m financial support package agreed by the Government and the Executive, the air bridge between GB and NI was maintained at the height of disruptions this year, ensuring that critical routes to London from both City of Derry and Belfast City airports remained open to support the movement of key workers within the United Kingdom.

The aviation industry has also been able to draw on the unprecedented package of economic measures the Government has put in place during this time, including a Bank of England scheme for firms to raise capital and the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme that facilitates access to finance for businesses affected by the outbreak.

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) has also been available to support wages during this time. On 5 November, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that workers across the United Kingdom would benefit from increased support with a five-month extension of the CJRS until the end of March 2021, with employees receiving 80% of their current salary for hours not worked.

The Government continues to work closely with the Executive to ensure critical routes remain open.