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Written Question
Offshore Industry: Helicopters
Friday 15th March 2024

Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many Sikorsky-92 model helicopters have been licensed to operate in the UK offshore energy sector in each year since 2013.

Answered by Anthony Browne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

As of 1 March 2024, there are 26 Sikorsky-92 aircraft licensed to operate in the UK oil and gas offshore sector, with their status being either ‘in service’ or ‘in storage’. Data for previous years has been taken as a snapshot as at 1 March for consistency: 29 (2023), 32 (2022), 29 (2021), 37 (2020), 36 (2019), 38 (2018), 43 (2017), 35 (2016), 32 (2015), 22 (2014) and 17 (2013).


Written Question
Offshore Industry: Helicopters
Tuesday 12th March 2024

Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make it his policy to (a) request data from operators of helicopter transport services in the offshore oil and gas sector on their annual flying hours between 2018 and 4 March 2024 and (b) place copies of that information in the Library.

Answered by Anthony Browne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government is committed to ensuring that North Sea helicopter flying is as safe as possible. In 2014, the CAA published a comprehensive review of the safety of offshore helicopter operations. The Review examined the risks to helicopter operations to support the oil and gas industries in and around the North Sea. It identified a wide range of opportunities to improve the safety of those operations and to increase the chances of passengers and crew surviving an accident.

As the UK’s aviation safety regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) continues to monitor all aspects of the operations of offshore helicopter companies and any risks to safe operation through its ongoing programme of safety oversight - which includes implementation of the review findings and monitoring data from operators.


It is the role of the CAA as the independent regulator to collect safety data, it is not for the Department to do so.


Written Question
Helicopters: North Sea
Tuesday 12th March 2024

Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made a recent assessment of the (a) resilience and (b) safety of helicopter transport operations in the North Sea.

Answered by Anthony Browne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government is committed to ensuring that North Sea helicopter flying is as safe as possible. In 2014, the CAA published a comprehensive review of the safety of offshore helicopter operations. The Review examined the risks to helicopter operations to support the oil and gas industries in and around the North Sea. It identified a wide range of opportunities to improve the safety of those operations and to increase the chances of passengers and crew surviving an accident.

As the UK’s aviation safety regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) continues to monitor all aspects of the operations of offshore helicopter companies and any risks to safe operation through its ongoing programme of safety oversight - which includes implementation of the review findings and monitoring data from operators.


It is the role of the CAA as the independent regulator to collect safety data, it is not for the Department to do so.


Written Question
Offshore Industry: Helicopters
Monday 11th March 2024

Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made a recent assessment of the potential impact of the global supply chain on the (a) repair and (b) maintenance of helicopter models licensed to provide public transport in the offshore oil and gas industry.

Answered by Anthony Browne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Spares and material shortages are not considered a direct safety issue to the operation of the aircraft but may reduce aircraft availability and increase maintenance activity to maintain operational flying of available aircraft. It is recommended that all operators carry out a safety case for their operation within their Safety Management System to identify specific risks and mitigations


Written Question
Offshore Industry: Helicopters
Monday 11th March 2024

Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will list the (a) models and (b) number of helicopters licensed by the Civil Aviation Authority to transport offshore oil and gas workers to and from installations in the North Sea.

Answered by Anthony Browne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

In 2017 the Airbus EC 175 entered UK service in support of Oil and Gas offshore operations, and as of 1 March 2024, there are 19 of these operating in the sector. Since that date no new aircraft types have entered service, nor has the CAA received applications from manufacturers to certify a new type. The average age of sector UK fleet is 9.6 years.


Written Question
Offshore Industry: Helicopters
Monday 11th March 2024

Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information his Department holds on the average age of the helicopter transport fleet in the offshore oil and gas sector.

Answered by Anthony Browne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

In 2017 the Airbus EC 175 entered UK service in support of Oil and Gas offshore operations, and as of 1 March 2024, there are 19 of these operating in the sector. Since that date no new aircraft types have entered service, nor has the CAA received applications from manufacturers to certify a new type. The average age of sector UK fleet is 9.6 years.


Written Question
Offshore Industry: Helicopters
Monday 11th March 2024

Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many new helicopter models were licenced by the Civil Aviation Authority for service in the North Sea oil and gas industry between 2016 and 4 March 2024; and how many applications the Civil Aviation Authority received from helicopter manufacturers in that period.

Answered by Anthony Browne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

In 2017 the Airbus EC 175 entered UK service in support of Oil and Gas offshore operations, and as of 1 March 2024, there are 19 of these operating in the sector. Since that date no new aircraft types have entered service, nor has the CAA received applications from manufacturers to certify a new type. The average age of sector UK fleet is 9.6 years.


Written Question
Helicopters: Storms
Thursday 26th October 2023

Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the impact of Storm Babet on contracts between offshore helicopter operators and duty holders in the offshore oil and gas industry.

Answered by Jesse Norman

Safety is of primary importance in aviation. Helicopter operators throughout the UK are responsible for their own operations, and for ensuring they remain aware of weather and storm warnings.

Contracts between offshore helicopter operators and duty holders are commercial contracts between the parties, and the Department has no role in them.

Helicopter flights are private operations and the Department does not hold data on helicopter flight cancellations.


Written Question
Helicopters: Storms
Thursday 26th October 2023

Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many offshore helicopter transport flights were cancelled as a result of weather warnings issued in connection with Storm Babet.

Answered by Jesse Norman

Safety is of primary importance in aviation. Helicopter operators throughout the UK are responsible for their own operations, and for ensuring they remain aware of weather and storm warnings.

Contracts between offshore helicopter operators and duty holders are commercial contracts between the parties, and the Department has no role in them.

Helicopter flights are private operations and the Department does not hold data on helicopter flight cancellations.


Written Question
Helicopters: Storms
Thursday 26th October 2023

Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with the Civil Aviation Authority on the operation of offshore helicopter transport services during Storm Babet.

Answered by Jesse Norman

Safety is of primary importance in aviation. Helicopter operators throughout the UK are responsible for their own operations, and for ensuring they remain aware of weather and storm warnings.

The Secretary of State has not held meetings with the Civil Aviation Authority on the operation of offshore helicopter transport services during Storm Babet.