Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Regional Airports

Thursday 10 October 2024 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Noah Law asked about steps being taken to ensure the resilience of regional airports.
  • Noah Law inquired about threats to aviation at Cornwall Airport Newquay from regulatory burdens.
  • The UK government is working with the aviation industry to understand the impact of regulatory costs.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Noah Law Lab St Austell and Newquay
Transport
Context

The resilience of regional airports is under scrutiny, particularly regarding their financial plans and operations.

Question

What steps she is taking to ensure the resilience of regional airports. Although airports are responsible for their own resilience and financial plans, the Department continues to engage with the industry to ensure that operations are as resilient as possible.

Answer from Mike Kane

Although airports are responsible for their own resilience and financial plans, the Department continues to engage with the industry to ensure that operations are as resilient as possible. Furthermore, my officials are actively exploring opportunities for improving the resilience of the sector.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific steps being taken by the government were not detailed, only mentioned in general terms.

How: Exploring Opportunities

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Q2 Noah Law Lab St Austell and Newquay
Transport Business & Trade Local Government
Context

Cornwall airport, Newquay faces increasing regulatory burdens which may affect its financial stability. The council is exploring funding options but these could add more costs.

Question

Aviation at Cornwall airport, Newquay, is under threat from increasing regulatory burdens, leading its owner, Cornwall council, to explore costly funding options that could put this aviation business on an even less stable footing, despite its clear benefit to the public good and the local economy. Will the Minister outline the steps being taken to ensure that there is an adequate strategy in place to support airports in meeting these increasing regulatory burdens?

Answer from Mike Kane

As my hon. Friend knows, the UK aviation market predominantly operates in the private sector, and regulatory costs are common to several industries. My Department is working with the aviation industry to understand the impact of these costs, and I am sure he will continue to champion the public service obligation route between Newquay and London, which enables more passengers to use Newquay airport.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific steps to address regulatory burdens on Cornwall Airport were not provided.

How: Understanding Impacts, Championing Public Service Obligation

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