Asked by: Henry Smith (Conservative - Crawley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the publication by York Aviation entitled UK Business Survey: Importance of Express Services, published November 2023, what steps his Department is taking to support the growth of the express aviation services sector.
Answered by Anthony Browne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The growing importance of air freight in the UK supports the Government’s ambition to drive economic growth and increase the UK’s global impact through unlocking trading opportunities. The Air Freight sector including express aviation services operate almost exclusively in the private sector. We help express aviation services by working to ensure that our comprehensive Air Services Agreement (ASA) portfolio remains fit for purpose.
The Government has recently published a consultation on 4 December on airport slot allocation system reform. The consultation is open until 8 March 2024 and we welcome views from all stakeholders including air freight operators. We also intend to consult during early 2024 on proposals for the next night flight regime at Gatwick, Heathrow and Stansted Airports.
Oct. 16 2023
Source Page: The Aviation (Consumers) (Amendment)Regulations 2023Found: The Aviation (Consumers) (Amendment)Regulations 2023
Asked by: Caroline Nokes (Conservative - Romsey and Southampton North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he is seeking a bilateral recognition of Flight Crew Licensing with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency.
Answered by Anthony Browne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department continues to engage with the European Union (EU) Commission on areas where future cooperation or recognition could support UK interests. Article 445(1) in the Aviation Safety Chapter of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) outlines the areas in which both the UK and EU may cooperate, including personnel licensing. The EU Commission has to date been clear it has no desire or mandate to expand the Aviation Safety Chapter, including at the most recent EU-UK Specialised Committee on Aviation Safety in November 2023.
Nov. 16 2023
Source Page: Virtual 'hangar' to serve as shared repository for aviation conceptsFound: Virtual 'hangar' to serve as shared repository for aviation concepts
Oct. 16 2023
Source Page: The Aviation (Consumers) (Amendment)Regulations 2023Found: The Aviation (Consumers) (Amendment)Regulations 2023
Mar. 26 2024
Source Page: A spot check inspection of Border Force’s operational response to general aviation flights at London City Airport (January to February 2024)Found: A spot check inspection of Border Force’s operational response to general aviation flights at London
Written Evidence Nov. 08 2023
Inquiry: Future Aviation CapabilitiesFound: FAVC0017 - Future Aviation Capabilities Boeing Written Evidence
Correspondence Feb. 21 2024
Committee: Transport Committee (Department: Department for Transport)Found: Correspondence from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Transport relating to aviation
Asked by: Baroness Randerson (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they will respond to their consultation on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) mandate published on 30 March 2023; whether it is still their policy to have five SAF plants under construction by 2025; and, if so, what is their progress towards meeting that target.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government is on track to introduce the UK sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) mandate in 2025, with a target of at least 10% SAF in UK jet fuel by 2030. We will publish the government response to the second mandate consultation, setting out our final policy positions, in the Spring.
There are currently two commercial-scale sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) plants operational or under construction in the UK. The Government’s Advanced Fuels Fund has allocated £135m across 13 projects to supporting our aim to have at least five commercial SAF plants under construction in the UK by 2025.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the role of hydrogen technology in reducing aviation carbon emissions to net zero by 2050, and what steps they are taking to accelerate the adoption of hydrogen-powered aircraft.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government’s Jet Zero Strategy, published in July 2022, set out our approach to achieving net zero UK aviation by 2050 through multiple different measures. The use of hydrogen is considered in the Zero Emission Flight chapter of the Strategy.
The Strategy anticipates that hydrogen will be first deployed in short haul aviation with recognised uncertainty on the potential for and timing of its scaling up for use in long haul. As with all measures in the Jet Zero Strategy the Government keeps the evidence base under regular review and any changes will be reflected in future updates to the Strategy.
Between 2013 and 2030, industry and government will invest over £5 billion to develop transformational aircraft technology through the Aerospace Technology Institute Programme. This includes co-investment in industry led projects to develop hydrogen aircraft in the UK.
In 2022 a Delivery Group of the government and industry forum the Jet Zero Council was established to accelerate the adoption of zero emission flight.