Asked by: Harriet Cross (Conservative - Gordon and Buchan)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to protect consumers on routes where a single airline operates the only available service.
Answered by Mike Kane
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has statutory competition functions in relation to airline markets. The CMA and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) both have responsibilities for enforcing consumer protections relating to price transparency, contract terms and passenger rights, including those during flight disruption.
Additionally, Public Service Obligations (PSOs) support vital domestic routes that are at risk of being lost, particularly those connecting remote areas, guaranteeing a reliable and consistent service. The Department is actively engaging with regional airports, including Aberdeen Airport, to understand how Government can support and unlock opportunities for growth.
Asked by: Harriet Cross (Conservative - Gordon and Buchan)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the policy paper entitled Jet Zero strategy: one year on, published on 20 July 2023, whether it is his policy to have five commercial-scale Sustainable Aviation Fuel plants under construction in the UK by 2025.
Answered by Mike Kane
The Labour Party Manifesto included a commitment to promote Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). Since July we have already brought in a SAF mandate and committed to legislating for a revenue certainty mechanism to support UK SAF producers. The Advanced Fuels Fund supports a range of SAF projects across the UK, and the Department closely monitors progress towards commercial-scale production to ensure there is sufficient supply of SAF to meet the SAF mandate.