AQW 29692/17-22

Mr Stewart Dickson
Alliance Party
East Antrim

Tabled Date: 14/02/2022
Answered On Date: 22/02/2022
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Infrastructure what action she is taking to support airports and airport ground crews affected by COVID-19, in light of the Airport and Ground Operations Support Scheme being made available in England.

Answer:

As Minister for Infrastructure, my powers relating to NI’s three main airports are limited to the Airports (NI) Order 1994. These are powers to control noise, control land in the interests of the safe and efficient use of airports, make byelaws, provide for airport constabularies and airport consultative committees and to give grants to assist capital expenditure.

Due to the exceptional circumstances that emerged from the COVID pandemic in Spring 2020, my Department was, for expediency and logistical reasons, asked to facilitate the distribution of emergency funding on behalf of the Executive to the City of Derry Airport and Belfast City Airport. In April 2020, the NI Executive, DfT and HM Treasury agreed a package of temporary financial support over 3 months to maintain air connectivity, with the Executive meeting half of the costs. City of Derry Airport was granted £924,435 and Belfast City Airport was granted £2,192,347.

Following a decision by the Executive, on 19 November 2020 I announced £1.23 million in additional support to Derry City and Strabane District Council for City of Derry Airport. This short term support grant was to help City of Derry Airport to remain operational until March 2021 and was drawn down from the £10 million set aside by the Executive to provide further support, as and when required, for Airports during the COVID 19 crisis.

My understanding is that the Executive has no plans in place to launch an Airport and Ground Operations Support Scheme for airports and airport ground crews affected by COVID-19.

I remain committed to working with Executive colleagues to listen to cases brought forward for support from airports and to working together with the rest of the Executive to identify ways to support our airports.