Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the EU has banned aviation regulators from having backstop talks with the UK to keep planes flying in the event of a no-deal Brexit; and what is their response.

Under the terms of the withdrawal agreement the European Aviation Safety Agency basic regulation will continue to apply throughout the time-limited implementation period, but we believe that discussions on EU Exit between aviation regulators would be beneficial at this stage.

We are in discussions with Taskforce 50 on this matter but, at present, the European Aviation Safety Agency has not been permitted to talk to the UK Civil Aviation Authority regarding contingency planning. We have full confidence in the Implementation Period but we also have a duty to plan for the alternative.