Having got a rare opportunity to question the Prime Minister, I asked him what steps the UK Government is taking to protect those employed in the aviation industry. Hundreds of people in my Central Ayrshire constituency work in this industry, and thousands more across the UK as a whole, and they must be supported as we enter the recovery phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.

One way the UK Government could do this is by investing in a green aviation recovery whereby companies are encouraged to bring on board newer aircraft and discontinue use of older models which would help reduce carbon emissions going forward.

I welcome the commitment the Prime Minister gave to support the industry in response but I have now written to him as a follow up to enquire as to the exact details of this support. 

The video of my question is below and the full text can be found here in Hansard.

Dr Philippa Whitford (Central Ayrshire) (SNP)

The ongoing impact of covid on international travel threatens over 100,000 jobs in the aerospace industry, including hundreds in my constituency. Will the Prime Minister commit to protecting vital aerospace jobs and invest in a green aviation recovery to reduce future carbon emissions? 

The Prime Minister

The hon. Lady has an extremely important point. It is one that we are working on very intensively now in Government, so that we use the opportunity of this crisis to bounce forwards with new low-carbon technology that will continue to drive the UK’s formidable aerospace industry.