We are committed to expanding and liberalising air access to new and existing global markets, ensuring enhanced connectivity for Scotland and all of the UK.<\/p>
The government has joint-funded an air route, alongside Dundee City Council and Transport Scotland, from Dundee to London through a public service obligation (PSO) since 2014. This protects an important connection from the Tay Cities region into the capital, allowing business passengers to complete a full day of work without the need for an overnight stay.<\/p>
Last year, as part of the Tays cities deal, the UK Government invested £8.1 million in the Aviation Academy for Scotland, a Tayside-wide partnership project aimed at providing specialist training and skills in the aviation industry.<\/p>
In addition, the UK government has also agreed and legislated to devolve powers over Air Passenger Duty (APD) to the Scottish Government. This will enable the devolved administration to design and collect revenue through its own Air Departure Tax.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3926", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Paul Maynard"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Blackpool North and Cleveleys"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Paul Maynard"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-09-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-09-09T15:04:52.097Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "27"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Aviation: Scotland"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to support Scottish civil aviation.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4601", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrew Bowie"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Andrew Bowie"} ], "uin" : "281797"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1130231", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Transport"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1130231/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
I refer to the answer of 3 June (HL15919), which states that the aviation sector operates in a competitive, commercial environment, investing to attract passengers and responding to demand when determining routes to operate. It is therefore not for the Department to carry out this type of assessment, nor to comment on whether there is sufficient competition.<\/p>
<\/p>
I can, however, confirm that CAA data for 2018 shows that the four largest airports in Scotland (Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Inverness and Glasgow) have flights to two or more airports in the London system, with flights operated by multiple airlines.<\/p>
<\/p>
In addition, the UK Government, in partnership with the Scottish Government and Dundee City Council, provide financial support for an air route from Dundee to Stanstead, through a public service obligation. Scotland will also benefit from an expanded Heathrow, where there will be further opportunity to enhance connections to the country\u2019s biggest hub airport.<\/p>
<\/p>
This information, which is already in the public domain, shows that there is sufficient competition for air routes between London and Scotland.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4580", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Vere of Norbiton"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Vere of Norbiton"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "HL16093"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-11T11:00:43.033Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "27"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Aviation: Scotland"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 3 June (HL15919), whether they will now answer the question put.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1141", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Forsyth of Drumlean"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Forsyth of Drumlean"} ], "uin" : "HL16092"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1130232", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Transport"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1130232/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
I refer to the answer of 3 June (HL15919), which states that the aviation sector operates in a competitive, commercial environment, investing to attract passengers and responding to demand when determining routes to operate. It is therefore not for the Department to carry out this type of assessment, nor to comment on whether there is sufficient competition.<\/p>
<\/p>
I can, however, confirm that CAA data for 2018 shows that the four largest airports in Scotland (Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Inverness and Glasgow) have flights to two or more airports in the London system, with flights operated by multiple airlines.<\/p>
<\/p>
In addition, the UK Government, in partnership with the Scottish Government and Dundee City Council, provide financial support for an air route from Dundee to <\/p> This information, which is already in the public domain, shows that there is sufficient competition for air routes between London and Scotland.<\/p>"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 3 June (HL15919), what evidence they have for the competitiveness of airfares between London and Scotland; whether they will provide the figures for the cost of such flights which informed their assessment that \u201cScotland is well-served by air services into London\u201d; whether they have conducted a comparative analysis of the costs of flights from Scotland to all London airports; and if not, why not.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
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, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1128070", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Transport"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the sufficiency of competition in the provision of air services from Scotland to London.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
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, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1047728", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Transport"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1047728/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Government is supportive of all airports including those in Scotland, in creating new international connections. The Government believes that air passengers are best served by a commercial airline market which is able to operate in a competitive environment. It is solely a matter for airlines to determine which airports they operate based on their own assessment of costs and passenger demand.<\/p>"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to encourage the creation of international connections to and from Scotland from other UK airports.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
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Stanstead,<\/del> Stansted<\/ins> through a public service obligation. Scotland will also benefit from an expanded Heathrow, where there will be further opportunity to enhance connections to the country\u2019s biggest hub airport.<\/p>