Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the publication by York Aviation entitled UK Business Survey: Importance of Express Services, published November 2023, what steps his Department is taking to support the growth of the express aviation services sector.

The growing importance of air freight in the UK supports the Government’s ambition to drive economic growth and increase the UK’s global impact through unlocking trading opportunities. The Air Freight sector including express aviation services operate almost exclusively in the private sector. We help express aviation services by working to ensure that our comprehensive Air Services Agreement (ASA) portfolio remains fit for purpose.

The Government has recently published a consultation on 4 December on airport slot allocation system reform. The consultation is open until 8 March 2024 and we welcome views from all stakeholders including air freight operators. We also intend to consult during early 2024 on proposals for the next night flight regime at Gatwick, Heathrow and Stansted Airports.