Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to pursue the assets of Monarch Aircraft Engineering (MAE) in obtaining a contribution to public funds to cover the cost of repatriating customers of Monarch Airlines to the UK; and whether they plan to establish whether (1) MAE is still owned by Monarch Airlines or Greybull Capital, and (2) whether all or part of the capital of MAE has been sold and, if so, to whom the proceeds were paid.

Monarch Aircraft Engineering Limited (MAEL) remains a standalone business, which continues to trade, after the Monarch Airlines and Monarch Tour Group entered Administration. We are not aware that there has been any change to the ownership of MAEL or that any shares have been sold in that company.

We are focused on making sure that there is clear burden sharing, and that it is not only the government who pays.

We have entered into discussions with several third parties with the aim of recovering the costs of the repatriation operation. This includes Greybull Capital and relevant card providers and travel providers through which passengers may have booked flights. We will in due course be able to report back with more detail.