Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the recent statement of the Irish Prime Minister on the use of Irish airspace by UK airlines in the event of no deal being reached under Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union; what advice the Government is providing to UK airlines as a result of that statement; and if he will make a statement.

The ability of UK airlines to fly through Irish airspace is not dependent upon the result of our negotiations with the EU.

Airspace use is governed and guaranteed by an international treaty – the International Air Services Transit Agreement – to which both the UK and Ireland are signatories.