Organograms for Senior Civil Servant roles provides information on the number of civil servants earning over £100,000 and in other bandings. This data is published by departments on a quarterly basis, the latest information for the Department for Transport can be found here: Organogram of Staff Roles & Salaries - data.gov.uk

The UK’s independent aviation regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is leading work with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and NATS towards developing the necessary approvals to integrate the RAF’s Protector MQ-9B.

The aim of this collaborative approach is to ensure that this technology can operate safely within the UK’s controlled airspace alongside other users.

I receive regular updates from the CAA on all aviation matters.

The UK is a member of EUROCONTROL, a Pan-European inter-governmental body, which is responsible for working with Member States and their Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSP’s) to ensure that the airspace across Europe is used efficiently. My department has and continues to engage with European states and industry to discuss air traffic control capacity and mitigations to delays which impact UK airspace users and passengers.

HMCG SAR helicopter provider, Bristow Helicopters Limited (BHL) conducted a review of all Hospital Helicopter Landing Sites (HHLS) against the revised safety guidance in CAP1264. BHL wrote to all impacted hospitals advising them that SAR helicopters will be unable to land on their HHLS until further safety assessments and assurances have been made. Bristows and HMCG have continued to work with the NHS and other stakeholders to reopen sites where there is an operational need.

The aviation regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and NATS continue to work collaboratively towards integrating the RAF Protector (MQ-9B) technology so that it can be safely used within the UK’s controlled airspace.

The CAA and the MoD will only give the necessary approvals for Protector to be fully integrated into controlled airspace when it is safe to do so.

The Department received seven proposals for consideration through a structured internal assessment process.

The assessment process is designed to ensure that each proposal is examined carefully and consistently against the criteria set out in the Secretary of State’s 30 June letter. This includes a review of the proposals’ overall feasibility, their timelines, the costs and revenues associated with the scheme, details of the scheme’s financing and funding, the environmental impacts and mitigations, and deliverability of the scheme.

While we are not disclosing the names of promoters or details of their proposals at this stage, a further update will be provided in due course.

Currently there are no plans to formally limit the number of small aircraft over residential areas. However, all airspace users must follow The Rules of the Air Regulations 2007 which set out minimum heights for flight above built-up areas.

The Government is currently assessing proposals for the delivery of a third runway at Heathrow. Detailed impacts, including on homes, social infrastructure and community facilities, will depend on the final scheme design and boundary, which have not yet been confirmed. Further updates will be provided as the assessment progresses.

The UK is a member of EUROCONTROL, a Pan-European inter-governmental body, which is responsible for working with Member States and their Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSP’s) to ensure that the airspace across Europe is used efficiently. My department has and continues to engage with European states and industry to discuss air traffic control capacity and mitigations to delays which impact UK airspace users and passengers.

The UK is a member of EUROCONTROL, a Pan-European inter-governmental body, which is responsible for working with Member States and their Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSP’s) to ensure that the airspace across Europe is used efficiently. My department has and continues to engage with European states and industry to discuss air traffic control capacity and mitigations to delays which impact UK airspace users and passengers.

The Government has been clear that it will work to reset the relationship with Europe, to strengthen ties and tackle barriers to trade. Agreements on UK-EU licensing recognition must be established through the Trade and Cooperation Agreement and agreed by the UK-EU Specialised Committee on Aviation Safety. The Government continues to seek expansions to the Aviation Safety Chapter of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement where appropriate. An effective aviation licensing regime that supports UK aviation remains a priority, and the UK is keen to establish closer cooperation on personnel licensing where possible to ease the current burden on UK and EU personnel and industry.

The Government is currently assessing proposals for the delivery of a third runway at Heathrow. Detailed impacts, including on homes, social infrastructure and community facilities, will depend on the final scheme design and boundary, which have not yet been confirmed. Further updates will be provided as the assessment progresses.

The Government is currently assessing proposals for the delivery of a third runway at Heathrow. Detailed impacts, including on homes, social infrastructure and community facilities, will depend on the final scheme design and boundary, which have not yet been confirmed. Further updates will be provided as the assessment progresses.

The Government is currently assessing proposals for the delivery of a third runway at Heathrow. Detailed impacts, including on homes, social infrastructure and community facilities, will depend on the final scheme design and boundary, which have not yet been confirmed. Further updates will be provided as the assessment progresses.

The Government published a letter to potential promoters inviting proposals for a third runway at Heathrow to be brought forward by the summer. The Government is now assessing the proposals against the criteria set out in the letter. Once this is complete the Government will move quickly to review the Airports National Policy Statement. We cannot speculate on the timings of the review at this stage, however when conducting the review, the Secretary of State will comply with the requirements in the Planning Act 2008, including consultation, publicity and parliamentary requirements.

The UK aviation market operates predominantly in the private sector with the cost of flights determined by airlines according to a range of factors. The Minister for Aviation and officials from the Department for Transport meet regularly with airlines to discuss a range of topics, including pricing.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has statutory competition functions in relation to airline markets. In addition, the CMA and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) both have responsibilities for enforcing consumer protections relating to price transparency, contract terms and passenger rights, including those during flight disruption.

There have not been any updates or amendments made to either the ‘Code of Practice for the Safety of Small Commercial Motor Vessels’ (the ‘Yellow Code’), or Marine Guidance Note (MGN) 280(M) ‘Small Vessels in Commercial Use for Sport or Pleasure, Workboats and Pilot Boats – Alternative Construction Standards’ in 2025.

However, according to Maritime and Coastguard Agency records there were two amendments made to the Workboat Code Edition 3 in January 2025. The first amendment reinstated a requirement of the Code pertaining to the control of the discharge of oil which had been erroneously omitted when the Code was updated in 2023. As this change simply reinstated a previous requirement the impact was considered lesser than the impact of not reinstating the requirement and therefore negligible.

The second amendment was to Annex 3 - The Safety of Police Boats. This two-part amendment was made to allow the required ‘second person’ on board to hold a Powerboat Advanced certificate, and to introduce the addition of a new paragraph to provide an appropriate construction standard for police vessels operating in Category C or Category D waters only.

The amendments to the Safety of Police Boats Annex were undertaken in consultation with, and with the full cooperation of the National Police Chiefs’ Council (Maritime Policing Portfolio), representing all police forces in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and were also considered negligible, especially given the short period of time since the introduction of Annex 3 and the amendment being made.

Regional airports are vital in addressing transport inequity by connecting all regions of the UK to national and international opportunities. They serve our local communities by supporting thousands of jobs while maintaining social and family ties and strengthening the bonds between the four nations.

Government supports connectivity across the union through our joint funding of three Public Service Obligation (PSO) routes into London from Newquay, Dundee and Derry/Londonderry.

The UK aviation market operates predominantly in the private sector. Airports invest in their infrastructure to attract passengers and airlines, while airlines are well placed to deliver services to their customers by responding to demand for different routes.

Ministers and officials at the Department meet regularly with regional airports to discuss issues such as regional air connectivity.

The Secretary of State for Transport has made no assessment of the potential impact of airports charging cars to drop of travelling passengers on blue badge holders.

Most airports in the UK are managed and operated as private businesses, and parking arrangements are subject to contractual agreements between airport operators and car parking companies covered by consumer laws.

The provision and charging of car parking at airports (including drop off and pick charges) is a matter for the airport operator as a commercial business to manage and justify.

The Air Navigation Guidance 2017 states that National Parks and Areas of Natural Beauty are designated areas with specific statutory purposes to ensure their continued protection in relation to landscape and scenic beauty. Given the finite amount of airspace available, it will not always be possible to avoid overflying these areas, and there are no legislative requirements to do so.

When airspace changes are being considered, the guidance states that local circumstances, including community views on specific areas that should be avoided, should be taken into account where possible. This applies to controlled airspace, although most pleasure flights by small aircraft use uncontrolled airspace, which does not contain restrictions for flying over National Parks and Areas of Natural Beauty. However, all airspace users must follow the Rules of the Air 2007.