Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the recommendations set out in her Department’s 2023 policy document entitled ‘Options for addressing the cost of pilot training’, including (a) enabling trainee pilots to access a Government-backed loan scheme and (b) addressing any outstanding issues relating to the First Officer Apprenticeship.

The ‘Options for addressing the cost of pilot training’ policy document was published during the time of the previous government.

This government is working closely with industry to address the cost of pilot training, including through the Aviation Industry Skills Board. Government also supports the aviation industry through the Generation Aviation programme. The Reach for the Sky Challenge Fund, a part of Generation Aviation and administered by the CAA on behalf of the Department, funds outreach programmes with the aim of improving the accessibility and inclusivity of the sector and attracting the next generation of people into aviation careers, including pilot careers.

The First Officer Apprenticeship (FOA) was designed by an industry group as a way of reducing the high cost of pilot training and improving access to the profession. An approved training provider (ATO) is now in place, and regulatory changes made this year have increased training flexibility for employers.