Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on the financial sustainability of NATS to maintain management of (a) UK sovereign airspace and (b) operational air traffic services to (i) airlines and (ii) airports.

The Government has set out an unprecedented package of financial support options for the aviation industry. We expect this to be made use of before bespoke support could be considered.

I have met with NATS, and departmental officials remain in regular contact with the NATS senior management team, to understand the financial impacts on the company from the current crisis, how these impacts are being managed and the potential need for financial support. We understand the risk of short term insolvency at this point to be low and we are working with them on the longer term.