Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to raise the maximum age at which the Civil Aviation Authority can grant a licence to a commercial pilot so that it is equivalent to the state pension age; and what assessment they have made of the financial position of commercial pilots who are no longer permitted to fly but who are not yet eligible for a state pension.

The Department for Transport is aware of the difference between the maximum age for commercial pilots and the state pension age, and of the financial impact this could have on some people. The government is determined to ensure equal employment opportunities are available to all, regardless of age. The Department is working with the CAA to explore whether there is a safety case for increasing the maximum age for commercial pilots and is also considering the approach that other regulators are taking in Europe on this issue.