(Romsey and Southampton
North) (Con)
(Urgent Question): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport
what support has been made available to Flybe, its passengers,
and the regional airports that facilitate many of its routes, and
whether he will make a statement.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport
()
I thank my right hon. Friend for raising this matter. She is a
strong advocate for her local airport.
Let me stress that Flybe remains a going concern. Flights
continue as scheduled, and passengers should continue to go to
the airport as usual. I must also emphasise that regional air
carriers and airports are vital to the Government, playing a key
role in providing connectivity between communities, regions and
nations across the United Kingdom.
The speculation surrounding Flybe relates to commercial matters.
The Government do not comment on the financial affairs of or
speculation surrounding private companies. We are working hard,
but there are commercial limits on what a Government can do to
rescue any firm.
Be in no doubt, however, that we understand Flybe’s important
role in delivering connectivity across the entire United Kingdom.
This Government are committed to ensuring that the country has
the regional connectivity that it needs. That is part of our
agenda of uniting and levelling up the whole country. We do not
have good enough infrastructure in many areas, and people do not
feel they have a chance to get to the opportunity areas with
high-skilled and high-paid jobs. That is what this Government are
addressing now.
I hope the House will appreciate that I regret that I am not able
to go into further detail at this stage, but I will update the
House further when it is appropriate to do so.
Flybe is, as the Minister said, an important regional airline,
serving the UK market for business and leisure travel. I must
confess from the outset that Southampton airport sits on the
boundary between my constituency of Romsey and Southampton North
and the Eastleigh constituency, but it employs many of my
constituents and, of course, serves the much wider region. It is
a crucial part of Hampshire’s connectivity, located adjacent to
the mainline to London Waterloo and the M27 motorway, and it
serves the cruise terminal at Southampton. It is in every sense a
transport hub for the south-east, and about 90% of flights out of
Southampton are run by Flybe.
I know that my hon. Friend the Minister is working hard on this
issue, for which I sincerely thank him. He has been diligent in
keeping me updated and has been in close contact with colleagues
across the country who believe that the Government need to find a
practical and pragmatic solution to the current reported
difficulties, as indeed I do. It is a sensitive time for the
company, but my questions today are not criticisms. We are
seeking reassurance from the Government that solutions can be
found.
I welcomed the comments from my right hon. Friend the Prime
Minister this morning about regional connectivity. He
specifically referenced Northern Ireland, and Southampton airport
has a thriving route in and out of Belfast, not to mention
Glasgow and Edinburgh, with onward routes to Aberdeen. It is a
hub that serves the whole United Kingdom.
I do not wish to put the Minister in a corner, but I hope that he
may be able to expand a little on what might be achieved with
regard to air passenger duty, which has long been a concern to
airlines and airport operators. We leave the European Union at
the end of this month, which might give us some opportunity to
consider the freedoms that there could be from state aid rules. I
do not expect the Minister to make any sweeping announcements
from the Dispatch Box, but I hope he and his officials are
closely considering it.
What powers does the Minister have to protect the key strategic
routes operated by Flybe and, of course, to protect its staff?
Flybe employs 200 people at Southampton, and the airport employs
some 900 people. A far wider supply chain relies on a thriving
regional airport with a functioning operator.
We have an opportunity to use every lever of government to make
sure that regional connectivity is maintained to ensure that
businesses can operate smoothly and that people can move around
the country seamlessly. I seek reassurance from my hon. Friend
that he is pulling all those levers.
I thank my right hon. Friend once again for working hard on
behalf of Southampton airport. I am acutely conscious of the fact
that some 94% of Southampton’s passengers are Flybe passengers,
and she makes an important series of points about the airport’s
importance to her region. Indeed, I gather the airport is also
important to inbound tourism.
My right hon. Friend tries to tempt me on to the topic of APD. It
may help the House if I make it clear that Transport Ministers
never comment on air passenger duty, which is a matter for the
Treasury, and I do not intend to change that now. I will not be
making any comments on air passenger duty.
(Middlesbrough) (Lab)
I congratulate the right hon. Member for Romsey and Southampton
North () on securing this important
urgent question. It is agreed on both sides of the House that
Flybe, a great British brand, is a hugely important regional
airline that provides a vital lifeline and connectivity for many
of our communities. News of its difficulties will worry workers
and passengers alike.
There is clearly a case for Government intervention, and I trust
the Government will learn the lessons from their inept response
to the Thomas Cook collapse, which saw other nation states being
prepared to step in while this Government sat on their hands and
contacted the company only after it was too late. We cannot have
a repeat of that debacle. Flybe’s workers and passengers deserve
better.
What restructuring plan has been agreed as part of the
Government’s support, and what discussions is the Secretary of
State having with the trade unions Unite and the British Airline
Pilots Association? Will the Minister and the Secretary of State
commit to ensuring those unions are fully engaged in the process?
The Government must avoid simply feathering the nests of the new
consortium, including Virgin Atlantic and the Stobart group.
Surely they knew the scale of the financial challenges facing
them when they acquired the business. What was known to the new
owners at the time of their acquisition? Prior to the
acquisition, did they seek assurances on Government assistance
and an indication of the Government’s intentions for APD? What
discussions is the Minister having with the industry about
transitioning to greater sustainability, including electric
flights, and about whether current plans are compatible with
reducing emissions?
Slashing air passenger duty across the board would make a mockery
of the Government’s supposed commitment to climate emissions. It
would also benefit a wealthy minority. Some 70% of UK flights are
made by a wealthy 15% of the population, with the great majority
of people not flying at all. Aviation is set to be the biggest
source of emissions by 2050, with Ministers planning for demand
to double.
The Government’s own advisory body on climate change has said
that the UK is “way off track” to meet its climate change
targets. Rather than proposing to slash aviation tax, will the
Minister not listen to the recommendation of the Committee on
Climate Change for a frequent flyer levy that would remove people
who fly just once a year from taxation while making wealthy
frequent flyers pay more?
I encourage the Minister to do all he can to support Flybe and
its workforce, and to protect passengers, but can he assure the
House that his Government will simultaneously and fully accept
their responsibility to protect the planet?
I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman, particularly as we agree on
the importance of Flybe to the country. The Government are
working hard to find what they can do to support the company. I
cannot and will not provide a running commentary on those
discussions. He will note that the Secretary of State is not here
to answer the urgent question, as he is having discussions in
Whitehall and is working hard on behalf of the airline.
The hon. Gentleman mentioned the environmental aspects. Domestic
aviation constitutes 4% of UK aviation’s overall emissions. He
mentioned the advice of the Committee on Climate Change, which it
gave to us just before the election, and we are looking forward
to consulting on it imminently. In addition, the transport
decarbonisation plan is coming soon.
We are acutely conscious of the fact that aviation has an
important role to play in meeting our net zero target by 2050,
and I am working very hard on finding the answers to those
questions.
(St Austell and Newquay)
(Con)
Thank you for granting this urgent question, Mr Speaker, which I
know is important to many of us. I thank the Minister for his
constructive engagement with me and many other colleagues on this
matter.
It is difficult to overstate the importance of Flybe to Cornwall
Airport Newquay and the wider Cornish economy. Contrary to the
characterisation from the Opposition Front Bencher, it is many
ordinary working people and small businesses in Cornwall that
rely on the connection that Flybe provides, both across the whole
country and, through Heathrow, internationally. May I therefore
urge the Minister to do all he can to ensure that Flybe is able
to continue operating? If he is able to use his influence to cut
APD, he will have my full support in doing so. Will he confirm
that the public service obligation route to Heathrow is not
dependent on a particular airline and could be easily transferred
should the worst happen to Flybe?
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his comments. As he will
know, some 74% of Newquay’s passengers use Flybe, so Newquay is
also highly dependent on this airline, not least for a lot of its
inbound tourism. He commented on the PSO flights. We will
continue to work with the county council in Cornwall, the joint
funder of those flights, to make sure that that service continues
into the future.
(Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
(SNP)
First, may I ask what impact assessment has been undertaken on
the effect of losing connectivity between Scotland and various UK
regions if Flybe does go down? How many of these routes have been
assessed as lifeline routes? What assessment have his Government
made of the Flybe Heathrow slots if Flybe does not operate and of
what that would mean for future connectivity? We know that Flybe
operates outwith ATOL—the Air Travel Organiser’s Licence
scheme—so what consumer protections are available for customers
booking with these types of carriers? What changes do the
Government propose to bring in to protect consumers? Where are we
on the proposed legislation changes promised after the collapse
of Monarch and then Thomas Cook? Given that there was no
Government intervention previously, why are they now looking at
doing something—we do support Flybe continuing to operate? Is
that not firm proof that the Government need a comprehensive
plan, rather than reacting with short-term fixes? What additional
supports will the UK Government bring forward across the entire
sector that they have ignored to date?
Will the Minister confirm that the Government do not ring-fence
APD moneys for tackling climate change? What message does talk of
delaying revenues or reducing APD send out about the Government’s
willingness to tackle climate change?
What is the deadline for Government action, because this is going
to create further market uncertainty and will hit future bookings
for Flybe?
Let me start by reinforcing the fact that Flybe remains a going
concern; flights continue to take off and land, and passengers
should go to the airport.
I very much take the hon. Gentleman’s point about the importance
of Flybe, not just to the regions of England but to the nation of
Scotland and, not least, the oil and gas sector out of Aberdeen—I
genuinely understand that. He makes an observation about PSO
flights, both within Scotland and to London. We are looking at
PSO flights policy more widely and whether we need to consider
further options.
The hon. Gentleman mentioned slots at Heathrow, and he will be
aware that slots are a matter for the independent ACL—Airport
Coordination Limited—body. No decisions have been taken on the
use of further slots at Heathrow in this regard.
The hon. Gentleman mentions protection for consumers. Those who
are on a package are covered by ATOL, but, as he will know, there
is separate travel insurance and those who pay by credit card
will have consumer protections. We continue to review consumer
protection more widely within the travel sector. He will also
know that in the Queen’s Speech we announced the airline
insolvency Bill, which will come forward shortly.
Once again, I reiterate that I cannot offer the running
commentary the hon. Gentleman looks for on what is occurring
within government.
(Eastleigh) (Con)
First, let me thank the Minister for keeping me informed of
developments as they have gone on and reassure him that, despite
the shadow Secretary of State’s characterisation, it is not the
15% of richest people in my constituency who use this vital
service. Some 94% of flights out of Southampton are operated by
Flybe, meaning that any loss of service will have a detrimental
impact on the local economy and jobs in my constituency. Given
this Government’s pledge to back prosperity across the whole
United Kingdom, will he reassure me that he will do anything and
everything necessary to keep this airline afloat for my
constituents and local jobs in Eastleigh?
I reassure my hon. Friend that we are working hard on behalf of
Flybe and Southampton airport to find solutions wherever we can.
He is right to point out the importance of improving regional
connectivity across all modes, as the Prime Minister said today.
(Leeds West) (Lab)
There is something of a pattern developing. We have had the
collapse of Monarch and of Thomas Cook, and now the potential
collapse of Flybe. When, in the last Parliament, the Business,
Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee took evidence on the
collapse of Thomas Cook, the evidence we heard from the business
and the trade unions was the same; they said that the Government
were asleep at the wheel. What lessons have the Government
learned from that collapse? What are they doing to ensure that
passengers are protected, that critical routes that connect
regional towns and cities are supported and that the taxpayer
does not end up footing the bill for another corporate failure?
I hear what the hon. Lady says. I am sure she knows that across
Europe as a whole the airline sector is a highly volatile market.
I do not accept her comparison at all. We continue to work hard
and I have made comments already about public service obligation
flights.
(Winchester) (Con)
The Flybe crisis—and it is a crisis—could soon become a major
disruption for many of my constituents, with half term looming.
There is clearly a short-term issue here that I know Ministers
are grappling with; I wish them well and they have my support.
There is an uneven playing field around APD and regulations on
regional airlines and airports, and that has without doubt
contributed to Flybe’s current predicament. Longer term, is there
any appetite within Government to address that and the crippling
impact it is having on the regional connectivity that he and the
Prime Minister have rightly referred to?
I recognise what my hon. Friend says. Our network of regional
airfields is crucial to our regional connectivity. I am acutely
conscious of that and I am looking at all policy options.
(Brighton, Pavilion)
(Green)
Over the coming months it will become ever more apparent that
tackling the climate emergency means rapid changes to high-carbon
sectors and that aviation must decrease, not increase. Instead of
bailing out polluting companies every time there is a crisis,
and, in this instance, doing so in a way that is going to
increase emissions, does the Minister agree that the Government
should instead be developing just transition plans for
high-carbon industries, including retraining workers in new
sustainable jobs, involving unions and local communities, and, in
this case, enhancing rail connectivity?
I think the hon. Lady overlooks what we seek to do to ensure that
aviation plays its role in reaching net zero by 2050. As I have
said, we will consult on our response to the Committee on Climate
Change. The Minister with responsibility for future transport, my
hon. Friend the Member for Mid Norfolk (), is working hard looking at
how to diversify the plane market, and we are bringing forward a
transport decarbonisation plan. In the Department, we are
informed with good ideas about how we can decarbonise transport.
(North Cornwall) (Con)
As my hon. Friend the Member for St Austell and Newquay
() ably said, the links between
London and Cornwall are vital to many of our constituents, not
just in his constituency but across Cornwall. Those links are
important for the many small businesses that access contracts and
come to London for business meetings, but also for net inbound
tourism when people fly in from other countries to visit London
and come down to Cornwall for a few days’ break. I ask the
Minister to do all he can to ensure that the link remains.
My hon. Friend is quite right to point out the importance of the
links between Newquay and London, not least for tourism. That is
why we set out the public service obligation, and it is why we
will carry on working with the county council to ensure its
continuation.
(Blackley and Broughton)
(Lab)
The new owners of Flybe got the airline for a song, destroying
shareholder value. They must not be allowed to profit from the
public sector through subsidy for their failure. The Minister has
made clear his position on APD—he will not comment—but does he
recognise that that tax is damaging to the economy and costs
jobs? Does he recognise that reports given to the Department for
Transport and the Treasury show that abolishing air passenger
duty would lead to an increase in tax income and have a
beneficial impact on the economy and jobs? Will he look at those
reports?
I am certain that the Treasury has heard the hon. Gentleman’s
comments loud and clear.
(Bexhill and Battle) (Con)
Many airlines that face these types of difficulties would get
more certainty and would be more able to get through them if they
were allowed to continue to operate while in administration.
Airlines in the States have done just that, and have returned and
are now succeeding. Will the Government look into that type of
reform when they press on with the insolvency review, which I
hope will happen in the early part of this Parliament?
I am sure my hon. Friend will welcome the airline insolvency Bill
and the work going on, in the light of the Green Paper, to
improve consumer protection across the airline sector as a whole.
(Cardiff South and Penarth)
(Lab/Co-op)
Many of my constituents work at or travel from Cardiff airport in
the Vale of Glamorgan. They have already been hit by the collapse
of Thomas Cook and, indeed, by Flybe’s reductions, the removal of
its base—with the loss of 60 jobs last year—and its cutback of
routes. Will the Minister explain whether he or the Secretary of
State have had conversations directly with the Welsh Government,
who are obviously crucial in terms of Cardiff airport’s viability
going forward?
I am more than aware that some 30% of Cardiff’s passengers stem
from Flybe. I reassure the hon. Gentleman that the Department and
the Civil Aviation Authority are in regular touch with all the
devolved Administrations to discuss the ramifications.
(East Devon) (Con)
I apologise for my raspy tones because of a recent cold. I
congratulate my right hon. Friend the Member for Romsey and
Southampton North () on securing the question.
Flybe is based in my beautiful constituency of East Devon and
employs around 2,000 people nationwide, contributing a great deal
to our local economy and providing essential transport links.
Does the Minister agree that it is wrong to politicise the
situation with Flybe, as Opposition Members have managed to do so
far, and that work should be done to ensure that this vital
airline continues to serve the south-west and beyond?
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his comments. He is right to
observe the importance of Flybe in his constituency. I am very
much aware that, wherever possible, we should work on a
cross-party basis when faced with immediate challenges.
(Nottingham South)
(Lab)
The Minister referred to the airline insolvency Bill; will he
confirm when that legislation will be brought forward? Many
Members have spelled out the importance of their regional
airports and domestic airlines for local economies, but what
assessment has the Minister made of the future role of domestic
aviation in our transport networks? How will that fit with the
Department’s decarbonisation plan?
On both those questions, I am afraid the answer is “Wait and
see.” We are looking to bring forward the airline insolvency Bill
as soon as we can. We recognise its importance, but it is a
complex policy area and there is no silver bullet, so when we
bring it forward it has to be right. On the wider issue of how
decarbonisation fits in and how aviation can play a role, that
will be covered in the transport decarbonisation plan. I
recognise that there are trade-offs to be made; we have to have a
balanced approach.
(West Aberdeenshire and
Kincardine) (Con)
I congratulate my right hon. Friend the Member for Romsey and
Southampton North () on securing the urgent
question and thank the Minister for his response.
The routes that Flybe operates out of Aberdeen International
airport are vital to jobs and the local economy in West
Aberdeenshire, connecting the energy capital of Europe, which is
Aberdeen, to other energy hubs such as Teesside and Humberside.
What work is being done in the Department to make sure that these
economically vital routes are protected in future?
My hon. Friend is right to observe, as I did earlier, the
importance of these services to the oil and gas sector in
particular. The Department and the CAA as a whole are examining
the economic impact of any changes that may occur across all our
regional airports, but our focus is on working hard to ensure
that we get the right result.
(Bristol East) (Lab)
I entirely accept the importance of regional airports to
jobs—Bristol airport is on my doorstep and I was a director of
London Luton airport in my days as a councillor in Luton—but the
fact that the Minister can come to the House to answer an urgent
question about domestic flights without mentioning
decarbonisation and climate change once just
shows—[Interruption.] He has mentioned them in response to
questions but did not mention them in his initial response. He
has been prompted to do that. It is not enough to kick it into
the long grass and say, “This is something we’re going to deal
with in the future.” Decarbonisation and climate change need to
be factored into the Minister’s response to the Flybe emergency
and APD now.
I have mentioned decarbonisation at least three times. I tried to
obey Mr Speaker’s instruction to keep my opening statement brief.
I entirely recognise the importance of decarbonisation, and a
significant amount of work is occurring in the Department,
between two Ministers. I ask the hon. Lady to wait to see the
documents when they are produced.
(Birmingham, Northfield)
(Con)
Last year, 30% of all flights from Birmingham airport were
operated by Flybe, and a lot of employees of the airline and the
airport will be very worried about the current situation. Can the
Minister reassure me and my constituents that he and the
Government are doing everything practically possible that they
can do in talks with Flybe to protect jobs?
I recognise the importance of Flybe to Birmingham airport, one of
our key national airports. The Government are working hard, as I
keep reiterating. We are certainly doing our best.
(Twickenham) (LD)
If we are serious about tackling our carbon emissions, we must
ensure that rail is an attractive and viable alternative to air
travel, certainly domestically. In places where this is not
possible—such as the Isle of Man, for obvious reasons—we must
ensure that domestic flights in the UK are green and sustainable.
For example, we should use sustainable alternatives to kerosene
and look at electric low-carbon planes, as have been trialled in
Orkney and Shetland. What has the Minister done specifically to
ensure that UK domestic flights are as friendly as possible to
the environment?
As I said earlier, the Minister of State, Department for
Transport, my hon. Friend the Member for Mid Norfolk (), is working on looking at
alternative sources of fuel and power. The hon. Lady pointed out
the example in Orkney; that is what we are working on for the
transport decarbonisation plan, which will come forth shortly.
(Cleethorpes) (Con)
I welcome the Minister’s comments about the impact on smaller
regional airports such as Humberside airport, which is based in
my Cleethorpes constituency. The impact on the offshore
industries and the links to Aberdeen have already been drawn to
his attention, but will he also take into account the fact that
Flybe works in partnership with other airlines, such as Eastern
Airways, which is based in Humberside, and the possible impact of
the knock-on effect?
My hon. Friend temps me to go into a great, lengthy answer about
franchising arrangements with Flybe, which I am trying not to do,
but I very much hear his point and I regularly wade into the
detail of that.
(Wythenshawe and Sale East)
(Lab)
The Minister went to school a stone’s throw from Manchester
airport in my constituency, but is the voice of northern England
being heard? After the Thomas Cook debacle, 2.8 million
passengers were taken out of capacity. If this Flybe collapse
happens, that will affect 1.8 million passengers out of
Manchester airport. I know that people are worried about climate
change, but APD was a tax devised by London civil servants in
Whitehall cooling towers that crippled the growth of regional
airports throughout our country, and we are paying the price for
that.
The hon. Gentleman is always a good defender of Manchester
airport—I will grant him that. As he will know, ACL determines
slot allocation at Manchester. The Thomas Cook slots have already
been reallocated among easyJet and Jet2. ACL has the matter in
hand. I recognise Manchester’s interest in the process.
(Stevenage) (Con)
Regional connectivity is at the heart of the Government’s agenda,
and the impact of Flybe collapsing on its partnerships with other
airlines would be quite severe. Can the Minister provide
reassurance that the Government will support Flybe until the
airline insolvency legislation has come into force?
We are continuing to work hard in Government to give all the
support that we can at this stage. I cannot comment further on
exactly what is occurring, but I very much hear my hon. Friend’s
plea.
(Stockton North) (Lab)
Teesside International airport tripled its losses to nearly £6
million under the stewardship of the Tees Valley Mayor last
year—after he had paid tens of millions of pounds of taxpayers’
money for it. Flybe is one of the few airlines to provide flights
from the airport—44% of them—and is critical to the airport’s
future and the Mayor’s plans. The Government failed to intervene
when SSI went bust, they refused to provide Sirius Minerals with
a loan guarantee to unlock international investment, and they are
doing nothing to support Hitachi, which is making 250 people
redundant. Are the Government really prepared to continue to fail
the Tees valley and to see Flybe collapse, taking regional
airports such as Teesside with it?
The hon. Member will not be surprised to hear that I have great
confidence in Mayor Houchen’s stewardship of both—
It’s a £6 million loss!
I am not going to get stuck into that. The hon. Member knows that
elections are coming and I know that elections are coming—I know
what he is up to.
(Colne Valley) (Con)
Flybe flies from Leeds Bradford airport in West Yorkshire to the
likes of Newquay, Southampton and Belfast. Passengers have very
little alternative until we see major investment in regional and
cross-country rail. Does the Minister agree that until that
happens, we need to keep investing in our regional
infrastructure, and we also need to crack on with trans-Pennine
rail?
My hon. Friend makes an incredibly important point. When we
consider aviation, it is not just about aviation; it is also
about links across other modes of transport. He will know that I
am the Minister responsible for Northern Powerhouse Rail so take
a very close interest in it, and I am always happy to discuss it
with him.
(Carmarthen East and
Dinefwr) (PC)
Further to the question from the hon. Member for Cardiff South
and Penarth (), have the British
Government received any direct representations from the Welsh
Government following the news this morning?
I am not aware of any representations received.
(Lancaster and Fleetwood)
(Lab)
Following the Monarch and Thomas Cook debacles, what lessons has
the Minister learned and which of them will he apply to the
situation with Flybe?
I would caution that the cases are not as similar as some might
think. I am not going to offer a running commentary, but the
Department works hard in collaboration with the CAA to monitor
all airlines that operate from this country.
(Sefton Central) (Lab)
Of course the Government should intervene to safeguard people’s
livelihoods and the economy around the country, but on a day on
which we have heard about yet another increase in global ocean
temperatures, when we know that parts of Australia are burning to
a crisp, and when the Government are on target to hit net zero in
2099, not 2050, is it right that a subsidy that supports
profitable and successful airlines should encourage and increase
air travel, not result in the reductions that are essential if we
are to address our commitments to reducing the effects of climate
change?
The hon. Gentleman may have heard my answers, but I will try
again. I am working hard with the Minister of State, Department
for Transport, my hon. Friend the Member for Mid Norfolk, to make
the UK a global leader in reducing aviation emissions. The hon.
Gentleman may want to wait and see our proposals when they are
introduced.
(Strangford) (DUP) rose—
Mr Speaker
Last but certainly not least, the one and only .
Mr Speaker, The Bible says that
“the last shall be first, and the first last”.
Mr Speaker
I shall bear that in mind.
Absolutely—thank you so much. I thank the Minister for his
response. He will know that the success of George Best Belfast
City airport is down to the Government policy of connectivity and
how important that is. It is also down to the success of Flybe.
The Minister is probably aware that it flies from Belfast to 14
destinations in the UK—the largest number of any airline company.
Some 3,400 jobs depend on Flybe across the United Kingdom, but
100% of those jobs are important to Northern Ireland. In the
light of the new dawn in Northern Ireland—the Assembly is up and
running, so responsibility falls on its shoulders—has he had an
opportunity to speak to anyone in the Assembly such as the First
Minister to ensure that Flybe retains its critical position for
Northern Ireland?
Naturally I welcome the resumption of Stormont. I note the fact
that 68% of passengers at Belfast City are Flybe passengers, so
the company is clearly important there. I am in close contact
both with the Northern Ireland Office and with the devolved
Administration.
