Department for Transport<p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p>The Government is currently considering the recommendations made by the Airports Commission, including the recommendation to create an independent noise authority. The Government will respond to the Interim Report as soon as possible.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>Scarborough and WhitbyMr Robert Goodwill2014-04-28false2014-04-28T12:00:00.00Z27TransportTransport2014-04-091House of CommonsTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will establish an Aircraft Noise Ombudsman; and if he will make a statement.falseCrawleyHenry Smith196176Department for Transport<p>The Department recognises the importance of maintaining a thriving and competitive aviation sector in the UK to deliver connectivity.</p><p> </p><p>Air Passenger Duty is led by HM Treasury. The Department for Transport works closely with HM Treasury and both Departments have engaged closely with the aviation sector to understand their assessment of the outlook for the sector and implications of any sector specific support measures.</p>WitneyRobert Courts2020-10-23false2020-10-23T13:27:59.347Z27TransportTransport2020-10-15Air Passenger Duty: Coronavirus1House of CommonsTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions his Department has had with HM Treasury on the potential merits of introducing a 12-month waiver for Air Passenger Duty to support vital trade and connectivity during the covid-19 pandemic.falseCrawleyHenry Smith104092Department for Transport<p>The Department for Transport would welcome the commencement of direct flights to the United Kingdom from Erbil International Airport, once the security situation permits that. The current advice to UK civil aviation operators from the Department, contained in a Notice to Airmen, is that they should not overfly Iraqi territory.</p>South Holland and The DeepingsMr John Hayes2016-10-20false2016-10-20T13:07:00.1Z27TransportTransport2016-10-12Air Routes: Iraq1House of CommonsTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans his Department has for further evaluation of the possibility of establishing direct flights from the UK to Erbil International Airport in Iraqi Kurdistan; and if he will make a statement.falseCrawleyHenry Smith48356Department for Transport<p>The Government made a formal representation on this issue to the US Department of Transportation on 11 February 2016, which is recorded in the US DoT docket DOT-OST-2015-0261. Ministers and officials continue to make representations on this matter as and when opportunities arise.</p><p> </p>South Holland and The DeepingsMr John Hayes2016-10-17false2016-10-17T14:55:12.327Z27TransportTransport2016-10-07Air Routes: USA1House of CommonsTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations the Government has made to the US Department of Transportation on progress made on authorising Norwegian Air UK Ltd services from Gatwick and other British airports to the US, as permitted by the EU-US Air Transport Agreement in December 2015.falseCrawleyHenry Smith47550Department for Transport<p>On 2nd February the Government launched a consultation on UK Airspace Policy. The consultation period began on 2nd February and will run until 25th May 2017</p><p> </p><p>The Government wishes to support airspace modernisation in order to deliver benefits for the UK economy, passengers and communities affected by aircraft noise. The proposals in this consultation aim to strike a balance between unlocking the economic and social benefits of modernised airspace, and addressing the local impacts of aviation.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is also working on a new Aviation Strategy that will set out the Government’s vision for the wider aviation sector. This will replace the 2013 Aviation Policy Framework (APF) and will be subject to a separate consultation process. The consultation on UK Airspace Policy forms a key pillar in the development of the Aviation Strategy.</p>South Holland and The DeepingsMr John Hayes2017-03-27false2017-03-27T13:21:17.153Z27TransportTransport2017-03-21Air Traffic Control1House of CommonsTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to reform airspace policy.falseCrawleyHenry Smith68729Department for Transport<p>Maintaining the safety record of UK aviation is something we take very seriously. That is why concerns raised about cabin air have been investigated at length over a number of years. These scientific research projects have not been able to confirm a link between perceived cabin air quality and illness.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Aviation Health Unit within the Medical Department of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) will continue to monitor issues around cabin air as part of their wider role as specialist adviser to the Government on aviation health issues.</p><p><strong> </strong></p>South Holland and The DeepingsMr John Hayes2017-07-07false2017-07-07T08:52:30.07Z27TransportTransport2017-06-30Aircraft: Air Conditioning1House of CommonsTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he has taken to reduce toxic cabin air incidents affecting flight crew and passengers; and if he will make a statement.falseCrawleyHenry Smith2317Department for Transport<p>We published the airport slot reform consultation on 4 December 2023 putting forward options for longer term reform of the slot system, including powers to provide alleviation from slot rules in exceptional circumstances. The consultation closed on 8 March. We are considering responses and will set out next steps in due course.</p><p>In addition, a permanent expansion of justified non-utilisation provisions to include pandemics and other health crisis is being taken forward separately using powers in the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023.</p><p> </p>South CambridgeshireAnthony Browne2024-03-21false2024-03-21T15:06:23.74Z27TransportTransport2024-03-14Airports1House of CommonsTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the review of slots policy will clarify the exemption for non-use of slots for reasons outside the control of the carrier.falseCrawleyHenry Smith18696Department for Transport<p>The Government’s approach to tackling coronavirus has always been guided by science. Testing will not identify everyone who is infected with coronavirus when they enter the UK – especially as some people might be asymptomatic. That is why we will be asking all travellers to self-isolate for 14 days.</p><p>The Government will continue to review whether and when additional measures are needed to slow the spread of coronavirus and we are monitoring the decision for some airports to trial temperature screening.</p><p> </p>Rochester and StroodKelly Tolhurst2020-06-09false2020-06-09T16:03:31.407Z27TransportTransport2020-06-01Airports: Coronavirus1House of CommonsTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of temperature screening at UK airports as a method for preventing the spread of covid-19.falseCrawleyHenry Smith51854Department for Transport<p>The Government recognises the challenging times facing the aviation sector as a result of COVID-19, and has been engaging regularly with airports throughout the UK to understand the impact that COVID-19 is having on their financial position. The Government continues to do so.</p><p> </p><p>Businesses across the industry, including airports, have drawn on the unprecedented package of economic measures we have put in place during this time.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has now made £3.2 billion available to local authorities, through an un-ringfenced grant, so they can address pressures they are facing in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government will continue to work with local government over the coming weeks to develop a collective understanding of the costs that local authorities are facing, and to ensure that they are managing as the pandemic progresses.</p>Rochester and StroodKelly Tolhurst2020-06-09false2020-06-09T11:46:23.747Z27TransportTransport2020-06-01Airports: Coronavirus1House of CommonsTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment the Government has made of the economic effect of covid-19 on (a) airports and (b) the local authorities in which they are located.falseCrawleyHenry Smith51855Department for Transport<p>In recognition of the challenging times that the aviation sector continues to face due to Covid-19, the Secretary of State has kept an open dialogue with UK airports. Engagement has included regular structured round tables with the Minister for Aviation as well as one-to-one calls, considered on a case by case basis. It would not be appropriate to comment on individual engagements or their frequency.</p>Rochester and StroodKelly Tolhurst2020-06-19false2020-06-19T11:42:11.23Z27TransportTransport2020-06-11Airports: Coronavirus1House of CommonsTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, on what dates he had discussions with chief executives of UK airports in (a) March, (b) April, (c) May and (d) June 2020.falseCrawleyHenry Smith58684100179