House of Commons · Westminster Hall
17 June 2025 · 6 other contributors · 8,261 words
Opened by Sadik Al-Hassan Lab North Somerset
Responding minister: Robert Courts
Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.
Sadik Al-Hassan raised concerns about hydrogen-powered aviation in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key points
Key requests to Government
Calls on the Government to provide clear policy guidance and financial support for the development of hydrogen-powered aviation to ensure that the UK does not miss out on this critical opportunity for environmental and economic leadership.
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.
Opened the debate
Bristol airport aims to achieve net zero emissions by 2030 while expanding to serve up to 15 million passengers annually. The current difficulty in decarbonising aviation, with kerosene being the primary fuel and no cost-competitive sustainable alternatives available yet, poses a significant challenge.
Hydrogen-powered flights have the potential to cut carbon emissions significantly while still allowing people to enjoy flying. Airbus aims to produce hydrogen-fuelled airliners by 2035, which could support up to 110,000 jobs in the UK. Investment in research and manufacturing infrastructure is necessary.
Called for long-term clarity on hydrogen production targets and extended funding to Aerospace Technology Institute. Emphasised the practicality of pure hydrogen combustion over fuel cells, stressing its scalability for commercial aviation.
Discussed the benefits and challenges of hydrogen-powered aviation, highlighting cost implications for airports and planes. Mentioned advances by companies like Wrightbus in Northern Ireland and Airbus.
Aviation currently contributes around 7% of UK carbon emissions and this figure could increase to 16% by 2035. The introduction of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Bill addresses climate emissions from existing technologies, but transitioning to hydrogen-powered aviation is crucial for meeting net zero goals.
The hon. Member thanked all contributors to the debate, mentioning the importance of mitigating impacts on constituents and challenging scepticism about hydrogen's role, as well as highlighting the strategic energy independence and jobs offered by green hydrogen.
Welcomed the debate on sustainable flight, noting East Midlands airport's importance to his constituency and highlighting climate change concerns and hydrocarbon fuel instability.
Government Response
Robert CourtsThe Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport
I recognise the clear potential of hydrogen as a zero emission aviation fuel and what it could contribute towards greener aviation. The Government have already acted to support the use of low-carbon hydrogen in aviation through the SAF mandate, with eligible hydrogen rewarded through the provision of tradeable SAF certificates. We are investing more than £3 billion over four years in advanced manufacturing for zero-emission vehicles, batteries and aerospace technologies. Importantly, one of the task and finish groups of the Jet Zero Taskforce is reviewing barriers to the commercial operation of hydrogen aircraft.