Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Garston and Halewood)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the planned timescale is for the length of time that the compulsory hotel based covid-19 quarantine policy will be in place; and what steps he plans to take to compensate airport operators for loss of business during that time.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
The Government will keep all our measures under constant review, including quarantine measures for international travellers and how long these are required for.
The Government recognises that the aviation sector has been significantly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Firms can continue to draw upon the unprecedented package of measures announced by the Chancellor, including a Bank of England scheme for firms to raise capital, the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, Time to Pay flexibilities with tax bills, financial support for employees,VAT deferrals, and the recently-launched Airports and Ground Operations Support Scheme
If businesses find themselves in severe and urgent financial difficulties, even following these unprecedented support measures, then we remain open to discussion about bespoke financial support, but only as a last resort. Any intervention would need to be on terms to protect the interests of taxpayers.
Asked by: Andrew Griffith (Conservative - Arundel and South Downs)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to support (a) Gatwick airport and (b) the aviation sector more widely following the closure of travel corridors until 15 February 2021.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
The Government recognises the challenging times facing the aviation sector due to Covid-19. The sector is crucial to the UK’s economy and businesses across the sector can draw on the unprecedented package of economic measures that have been put in place during this time. This includes a Bank of England scheme for firms to raise capital (CCFF), business interruption loan guarantee schemes, Time to Pay flexibilities with tax bills, and financial support for employees (the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme). Overall, we estimate that the air transport sector will have received around £2.5 to £3bn of support through the CCFF and Job Retention Scheme by the end of March 2021.
The Government also recently announced the Airports and Ground Operators’ Support Scheme (AGOSS) and the Test to Release scheme, both of which will benefit the sector. AGOSS will provide support for eligible businesses, up to the equivalent of their business rates liabilities in the 2020/21 financial year, subject to certain conditions and a cap per claimant of £8m.
Finally, if businesses across the sector find themselves in severe and urgent financial difficulties as a result of Covid-19, even following the Government’s cross-economy interventions, then the Government remains open to discussions about bespoke financial support but only as a last resort.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to accelerate safe travel through UK airports, including through testing and use of other technology.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government has introduced mandatory pre-departure testing for international travellers to England from outside the Common Travel Area. Persons arriving in England from 04:00 on Monday 18 January must comply with the new requirement.
Travellers must take a test no more than 3 days prior to departure to England, and will only be permitted to travel if they have proof of a negative result. This action helps to protect fellow travellers from the risk of transmission of Coronavirus during travel itself.
All other border measures, such as completing the passenger locator form and the requirement to self-isolate for 10 days on arrival (or 5 days with test to release), remain in place, and must be adhered to regardless of the pre-departure test result.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make it his policy to introduce rapid covid-19 testing at all UK airports.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
As of 15 December, international arrivals to England can opt in to Test to Release for International Travel, allowing them to shorten self-isolation by up to 5 days after receiving a negative test result.
Any decisions on whether and how we can further ease border requirements, including whether rapid Covid-19 testing could be introduced at UK airports, will be made on the basis of clinical and scientific evidence.
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to keep the public service obligation for Belfast International Airport under review.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government recognises that connectivity between Northern Ireland and Great Britain is vital, which is why we secured a £5.7 million support package in May this year to temporarily support the last remaining service from Belfast to London during the height of the coronavirus pandemic.
The UK policy on public service obligations (PSO) is to protect existing routes into London that are in danger of being lost. It is for the relevant local authority or devolved administration to determine the need for a PSO on a route and to submit a business case to DfT for consideration. The local authority must also hold a full and open tender to select an airline to operate the route on an exclusive basis. Airlines select the airports they wish to operate from, if there is more than one option available, as part of their bid.
Asked by: Lord Hay of Ballyore (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what resources they have made available to support Belfast International Airport during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The aviation sector is vital to our future as a global trading nation, playing a critical role in local economies, including in Northern Ireland. The national measures taken in response to COVID-19 have been unprecedented, enabling airlines, airports and ground handlers to benefit from a very significant amount of taxpayer support. This includes, but is not limited to, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and financing facilities. The Government is also working on a strategic framework for the medium and long-term recovery of the aviation sector in the form of a recovery plan.
Airport policy is devolved to the Northern Ireland Executive (NIE). NIE has provided business rates relief to airports in Northern Ireland worth £2.2 million. NIE are continuing to consider appropriate support for airports in Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West and Royton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made an assessment of the effect of the decision to provide financial support to airports but not international railway stations during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
During the Covid-19 response, Government has provided unprecedented financial support that has been made available to all sectors of the economy.
On 24 November, the Department announced a financial support scheme to support eligible commercial airport and ground handling businesses by reducing cash burn, enabling businesses to unlock shareholder and lender support. Eligible businesses will be able to apply to the scheme from early 2021. Further details will be published shortly.
The Government has been engaging closely with international rail operators since the outbreak of Covid-19 earlier this year to monitor its ongoing impact and support operators to access available support to address their particular needs, where appropriate, and will continue to do so.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to their announcement of financial support for airports and other air infrastructure on 25 November, what plans they have to provide similar support to HS1 and Eurostar.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government recognises that the international rail sector, as with other transport sectors, has been significantly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. The Government has been working closely with both HS1 Ltd and Eurostar since the outbreak of the pandemic to monitor its impact on passenger numbers and services, as well as to provide support, particularly through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.
Department for Transport officials?have?also been?actively participating?in discussions with Eurostar and?HS1?Ltd?to?consider and?address the?longer-term?challenges facing the HS1 system?as a result of?reduced demand for international rail services. The Government?will continue to engage in these?discussions to identify?appropriate solutions to these challenges, as well as to keep under review the ongoing impact of Covid-19 on the international rail sector.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
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.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
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.
Asked by: Judith Cummins (Labour - Bradford South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, in reference to his announcement of additional financial support for airports on 24 November 2020, if he will set out (a) how much each airport will receive and (b) when funding will be available from.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
On 24 November, the Government announced a financial support scheme to support eligible commercial airport and ground handling businesses by reducing cash burn and could unlock shareholder and lender support. This will provide support up to the equivalent of the site’s business rates liabilities in 2020/21 financial year, capped at up to £8m per eligible site, and subject to certain conditions. The scheme will open for applications in the new year, and we will be looking to make payments to successful applicants before the end of the financial year.