Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will work with airlines to limit the amount of alcohol consumed on flights in and out of the UK.

The Government takes this issue very seriously and is supportive of efforts that airlines, airports and retail outlets are making to tackle the problems caused by excessive alcohol consumption by a small minority of passengers. Representatives of all of these groups recently met with officials from my department and from the UK Border Force, as well as the Civil Aviation Authority and the police, to discuss a range of practical steps that can be taken to identify and deal with these situations as they emerge. These included the circumstances under which it might be appropriate to withhold further alcohol from a passenger.

I and my officials will be continuing this constructive dialogue over the coming months.