Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the recommendations of Project Willow on the HEFA Cap delay.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government launched Project Willow to find an industrial future for Grangemouth – identifying nine low-carbon and renewable energy business models that could create 800 jobs by 2040.
Government is ready to take these forward as co-investment projects with the private sector. Backed by £200 million from the National Wealth Fund, investment agencies are working to find investors for these proposals and other low carbon and clean energy proposals in the Grangemouth area. So far c.100 enquiries have been received.
HEFA (hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids) is a fuel developed from oils or fats, such as used cooking oil. The Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Mandate caps the amount of HEFA that can be used to meet the main obligation under the Mandate to encourage the development of more advanced fuels. The suggested delay to the HEFA cap would undermine this approach and is not being considered.
To ensure the Mandate remains aligned with technological and commercial developments, it will be continuously monitored. Formal reviews will be published at least every five years, with the first scheduled for 2030. These reviews will also ensure continued alignment with broader government policies and strategies.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 27 October 2025 to Question 82986 on Aviation: Alternative Fuels, how many UK-based sustainable aviation fuel production facilities have (a) commenced construction and (b) reached final investment decision.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The only commercial scale SAF producer in the UK is P66’s Humberside Refinery. Through the Advanced Fuels Fund (AFF) we have awarded over £198m to 21 UK SAF projects. Information on these projects is published on gov.uk.
There are a wide range of SAF projects across the UK using different technologies and at different stages of development. However, much of the information on the development of fuel projects that DfT holds is commercially sensitive.
Our policies are both ambitious and pragmatic to the realities of the SAF industry. The SAF Mandate entered into force on 1 January 2025. In its first year, the mandate requires that SAF constitute 2% of total fossil jet fuel supplied, increasing to 10% by 2030 and 22% by 2040. Provisional data suggests the UK was already on track, with SAF accounting for approximately 2% of aviation fuel supplied in 2024.
On the supply side, we are creating the right environment to support the future construction of UK SAF production plants through measures such as the UK’s pioneering SAF Clearing House, AFF, and legislation to provide investor confidence via a Revenue Certainty Mechanism.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of rejoining the EU's European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Through our regular engagement with the aviation industry, we are aware of the operational implications following the loss of access to the EU’s European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service.
The Department continues to work with the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology, which is leading the Government’s business case on a future Satellite Based Augmentation System, to ensure that the aviation requirements are understood and considered as part of the decision-making process.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on the risk from small unmanned drones to (a) public order and (b) public safety.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office and Department for Transport collaborate closely with each other and a range of stakeholders, including operational partners and colleagues inside and outside of government, to address the risks posed to public order and safety posed by drone misuse.
The Air Traffic Management and Unmanned Aircraft Act 2021, which gives police powers to better protect against malicious or negligent drone use, was developed by DfT working closely with the Home Office.
The policy and operational tools to manage drone misuse sit across a number of agencies, including the Department for Transport, Home Office, Civil Aviation Authority and the police. DfT and HO engage regularly to ensure that the future of drone regulation and policy supports both the security needs of the UK and the legitimate use of drones.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they plan to take to support NHS trusts and integrated care systems to trial and adopt drone technology for time-sensitive healthcare logistics, such as blood samples.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to innovation in drones and other growth sectors. Work is ongoing across the Government, including between the Department of Health and Social Care and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), to support the safe and effective introduction of drones into healthcare logistics. The Future of Flight Programme, led by the Department for Transport and taking place across the Government, will deliver routine beyond visual line of sight (BVLS) drone use in the United Kingdom by 2027. As part of this programme, the Department for Transport, the Department of Health and Social Care, and the CAA continue to work closely together to unlock BVLS drone use cases for the National Health Service.
To enable NHS trusts and integrated care systems to trial and adopt drones, the Department of Health and Social Care works with organisations from across the Government such as Innovate UK, who have funded 20 projects exploring the use of drone technology to support a range of health and social care applications, with a total investment exceeding £20 million.
As part of the 2025/26 Future of Flight Programme, delivered by the Department for Transport, two new projects, namely Dragon’s Heart and London Health Bridge Growth, have been announced to advance the use of drones in healthcare logistics. Together, these projects will receive funding of £820,000.
The Department of Health and Social Care continuously reviews the available evidence surrounding the use of drones in medical logistics and is supportive of new trials to further build this evidence base, in particular regarding the benefits of the use of drones to deliver urgent medical supplies in remote and urban areas.
Enabling drones to safely operate to trial NHS services currently requires airspace segregation to ensure the safety of other crewed aircraft. This is a complex process, and the CAA and Department for Transport are working to simplify it as part of the Future of Flight Programme and the Airspace Modernisation Strategy while we work towards full airspace integration. Progress on this work is monitored through the Future of Flight Industry Group which is co-chaired by the Minister for Aviation, Maritime and Security.
Asked by: Lord Harper (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure a level playing field for UK airlines and aviation businesses under current and future air services arrangements with EU member states.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Following the UK’s departure from the European Union (EU), air services arrangements between the United Kingdom (UK) and EU Member States have been governed by the Air Transport chapter of the UK-EU Trade and Corporation Agreement (the TCA). The TCA was negotiated in 2020 and provisions within the Air Transport chapter ensure fair and equal opportunities to access the market for both UK and EU carriers. The Department for Transport engages regularly with the UK aviation industry to understand any market access issues and provide support where necessary.
Asked by: Baroness Hodgson of Abinger (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report on the human rights and humanitarian situation in Myanmar by the Conservative Party Human Rights Commission, "Unspeakable Tragedy", published in June.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK strongly condemns the Myanmar military's use of airstrikes on civilian infrastructure, including schools, hospitals and places of worship. On 13 May, the former Minister for Indo-Pacific called for all parties, particularly the Myanmar military, to refrain from airstrikes, safeguard civilians, and protect civilian infrastructure. Earlier this month, our Head of Mission in Yangon raised concerns over the use of airstrikes against civilians with the Myanmar military regime. Since 2021, the UK Government has enacted 19 sanctions packages, including 10 individual sanctions targeting the import of aviation fuel into Myanmar. It would not be appropriate to speculate about potential future sanctions designations as to do so could reduce their impact.
Since the military coup in Myanmar, the UK has provided over £190 million in life-saving humanitarian assistance, emergency healthcare and education support, and work to support civil society and local communities. In response to the earthquake in March 2025, we provided £25 million of life-saving support to those affected. We remain committed to supporting civil society, advocating for the release of those arbitrarily detained, including Aung San Suu Kyi, and working with international partners for accountability. The UK has provided £900,000 to the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar since 2021 and established the Myanmar Witness program to collect evidence of human rights violations.
Asked by: Baroness Hodgson of Abinger (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have made representations to the government of Myanmar about reported airstrikes in the Kachin and Karenni states, and whether they plan to sanction those responsible for atrocity crimes.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK strongly condemns the Myanmar military's use of airstrikes on civilian infrastructure, including schools, hospitals and places of worship. On 13 May, the former Minister for Indo-Pacific called for all parties, particularly the Myanmar military, to refrain from airstrikes, safeguard civilians, and protect civilian infrastructure. Earlier this month, our Head of Mission in Yangon raised concerns over the use of airstrikes against civilians with the Myanmar military regime. Since 2021, the UK Government has enacted 19 sanctions packages, including 10 individual sanctions targeting the import of aviation fuel into Myanmar. It would not be appropriate to speculate about potential future sanctions designations as to do so could reduce their impact.
Since the military coup in Myanmar, the UK has provided over £190 million in life-saving humanitarian assistance, emergency healthcare and education support, and work to support civil society and local communities. In response to the earthquake in March 2025, we provided £25 million of life-saving support to those affected. We remain committed to supporting civil society, advocating for the release of those arbitrarily detained, including Aung San Suu Kyi, and working with international partners for accountability. The UK has provided £900,000 to the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar since 2021 and established the Myanmar Witness program to collect evidence of human rights violations.
Asked by: Baroness Nye (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many Chinese companies they have sanctioned for supplying arms and equipment to the Burmese military.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
Since 2021, the UK Government has enacted 19 sanctions packages, including 10 individual sanctions targeting the import of aviation fuel into Myanmar. We have also sanctioned 25 individuals and 39 entities targeting the regime's access to finance, arms and equipment, none of which is Chinese. We keep all evidence and potential designations under close review. It would not be appropriate to speculate about potential future sanctions designations as to do so could reduce their impact.
Asked by: Baroness Nye (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the imposition of sanctions by the United States of America in January, whether they have considered imposing similar sanctions on Mytel, a mobile network and joint venture of the Burmese and Vietnamese militaries.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
Since 2021, the UK Government has enacted 19 sanctions packages, including 10 individual sanctions targeting the import of aviation fuel into Myanmar. We have also sanctioned 25 individuals and 39 entities targeting the regime's access to finance, arms and equipment, none of which is Chinese. We keep all evidence and potential designations under close review. It would not be appropriate to speculate about potential future sanctions designations as to do so could reduce their impact.