Select committee: Scottish Affairs Committee
Recommendation 5
Fifth Report - Airports in Scotland
Published 22 Mar 2022
Paragraph 39
Addressed to Scotland Office
Scottish Affairs Committee Airports in Scotland All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Recommendation (the committee's words)
We recommend that the UK Government’s strategic framework for aviation recovery should include: • How airports in Scotland can increase their passenger numbers and grow their businesses whilst meeting net zero targets and using greener methods of operating; • How airports in Scotland can continue to deliver current connectivity and recover any routes that have been lost throughout the pandemic; and • What the context is in which he UK Government would step in with funding for stage 3 of the Airspace Modernisation Programme.
From: Scottish Affairs Committee, Fifth Report - Airports in Scotland (HC 601), paragraph 39, 22 March 2022
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 15 June 2022 (deadline 22 May 2022).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government responds to the report by agreeing on the need for sustainable aviation growth and improved communication with devolved administrations, while stating that one recommendation "cannot, however, be fully endorsed".
- On the strategic framework, it supports continued growth in aviation over the next 30 years and agrees with the committee that this growth "must be sustainable". It is "aiming to publish the Jet Zero Strategy later this year".
- On the Airspace Modernisation Programme, it agrees that it is a critical national infrastructure project and has announced a further £3.7 million. It says sponsors "are expected to resume responsibility for funding further stages", citing the "user pays principle".
- On regional connectivity, it "will consider whether there are further opportunities to utilise PSOs" and is "carefully considering" how to take forward the Union Connectivity Review.
- On Air Passenger Duty, it states that APD "is not a hypothecated tax" and does not commit to the requested investigation or report.