Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what progress has been made on the reconstruction of the runway on Ascension Island.

The reconstruction of the Ascension Island runway is a critical project which will help secure future access to the island. The project, jointly funded by the UK and the United States, is an important priority for the UK Government and is being completed in two halves, with the runway operating at fifty percent capacity throughout the project. Contractors are currently on the island and have started construction works. The estimated runway completion date is late 2022.