Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that airports have increased capacity in the next 10 to 20 years.

The 2013 Aviation Policy Framework (APF) states that “the UK Government wants to see the best use of existing capacity at all UK airports". The UK’s airports are private entities operating in a competitive, commercial environment, and it is therefore for individual airport operators to propose and develop capacity expansion plans. In this regard the Government welcomes the ambition of airports across the country to respond to local and regional demand by investing in their infrastructure to enable services to more destinations, and better facilities and choice for their passengers.

This year we have begun the process of developing a new strategy for UK aviation which will build on its success. The new strategy will set the framework for how the industry can grow sustainably.

This will be an ambitious, ongoing programme of work which has already begun to explore where Government can, and should, make a difference. We will be consulting widely, both with the industry and with consumers throughout 2017, starting in the spring. This will maintain momentum and set the rhythm for aviation policy in the lead up to publication of an Aviation Strategy White Paper in 2018.