Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with the Civil Aviation Authority on the delivery of decarbonisation targets in aviation as part of the discharge of its economic regulation function.

We are working closely with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to achieve net zero aviation – or Jet Zero – by 2050. In July, we published the Jet Zero Consultation which focuses on the rapid development of technologies in a way that maintains the benefits of air travel and maximises the opportunities that decarbonisation can bring for the UK. We are currently assessing responses to this consultation, including on whether changes to our approach to landing charges and slots could support our decarbonisation objectives.

We are collaborating with the CAA to support the enabling of demonstration activity of zero- and low-emission aircraft in a safe way, and to ensure the UK remains the best location in which to develop and deploy these new aircraft. We are also working with the CAA as co-sponsors of the Airspace Modernisation Programme, the national programme of airspace change amongst major UK airports.

The CAA are active members of the Jet Zero Council, a key partnership between industry and government – co-chaired by DfT and BEIS Secretaries of State - to drive the delivery of new technologies and innovative ways to cut aviation emissions.