Asked by: Jack Lopresti (Conservative - Filton and Bradley Stoke)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, in the context of the Government's COP26 commitments on the transition to net zero, whether his Department has plans to extend the funding for the Aerospace Technology Institute to 2031.
Answered by Lee Rowley
Published in October 2021, the Net Zero Strategy sets out policies and proposals for decarbonising all sectors of the UK economy, including the aerospace sector, to meet our net zero target by 2050, keep the UK on track for meeting carbon budgets, to deliver our Nationally Determined Contribution by 2030.
In line with the Net Zero Strategy and the Government’s COP26 commitments on the UK’s transition to net zero, my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer extended the funding to the Aerospace Technology Institute programme from 2026 to 2031 as part of the most recent Spending Review.
Asked by: Jack Lopresti (Conservative - Filton and Bradley Stoke)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of implementing a green skills roadmap to help meet environmental targets; and what steps his Department is taking to ensure a joined up approach by the Government on improving green skills.
Answered by Greg Hands
In the Net Zero Strategy, the Government set out its plans for working with industry to develop a skilled workforce and enable workers, industries, and places to transition to a net zero economy. The policies set out in the Net Zero Strategy represent a first step in addressing the challenges and opportunities identified by the Green Jobs Taskforce.
This includes delivering a Lifetime Skills Guarantee and growing key post-16 training programmes (such as apprenticeships, Skills Bootcamps and T levels) in line with the needs of employers.
In order to drive this agenda, the Government has announced a cross-cutting delivery group to include representatives from across different government departments, industry, the skills sector and other key stakeholders, maintaining the momentum generated by the Taskforce to drive action across the green skills agenda. The Government will set out further details in due course.
Asked by: Jack Lopresti (Conservative - Filton and Bradley Stoke)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment his Department has made of the contribution to environmental sustainability of the aerospace industry in the South West of England.
Answered by Paul Scully
The South West of England is home to a large cluster of the UK’s leading aerospace businesses. Its contribution to environmental sustainability of the aerospace industry is therefore significant. My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State recently launched a new Airbus wing technology centre (AIRTeC) as part of its Wing of Tomorrow programme. This centre and research undertaken by companies such as GKN and Rolls-Royce will keep the South West at the forefront of the global move towards cleaner aviation.
As part of my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister’s 10 Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution, the Government is investing in future green aviation across the whole of the UK. in order to accelerate this work, we have created a Jet Zero Council which brings together stakeholders spanning airlines, airports, aerospace manufacturers, fuel suppliers, academia, and environmental groups.
Asked by: Jack Lopresti (Conservative - Filton and Bradley Stoke)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on the level of research spend by medical research charities; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
The Government is monitoring the impact of COVID-19 on the work of medical research charities through regular discussions on charity-funded research with the Association of Medical Research Charities.
We know the pandemic has been a challenging time for fundraising and we will continue to engage with the Association of Medical Research Charities on the challenges they are facing.
The Government has demonstrated its ambitions for research by committing £14.6bn to R&D in 2021/22. This funding will support the life sciences sector within which medical research charities operate alongside other research areas.
Asked by: Jack Lopresti (Conservative - Filton and Bradley Stoke)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential benefits to the UK economy of introducing an aircraft scrappage scheme.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
The Government remains in dialogue with industry and overseas governments about the potential benefits, practicalities, and implications of an aircraft scrappage scheme.