Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing a (a) fast-tracked and (b) fee-free SIA Licence application scheme for airport security personnel to enable those staff to be re-deployed during the covid-19 outbreak.

My Department is looking at ways to best ensure how those aviation personnel who are temporarily displaced from their jobs in aviation may be able to return to their roles quickly and with the minimum of delay when operations start to be resumed.

As aviation security personnel are exempt from SIA licensing, my officials are speaking with the Home Office to see what options may be possible should aviation security personnel wish to pursue security roles elsewhere.