UK Secretary of State for Transport Louise Haigh vowed to back aviation growth as long as it meets sustainability criteria as part of a new industrial revolution strategy for the country.
The Labour MP for the Sheffield Heeley ward announced a new Jet Zero taskforce that will drive action in the sector in collaboration with government and the private sector.
She struck a positive tone at today’s Airlines 2024 conference in London in her first address to the industry since being appointed to the post following this year’s General Election.
Haigh said aviation had to play its part in helping to six the “dire economic situation” inherited by the Labour government.
But she set out a policy to prioritise growth and vowed to back airport expansion where it made the case both economically and in terms of sustainability.
“Move fast and fix things, that’s our motto,” she said. “I’m challenging the department to move to make more ambitious timescales.”
Haigh said Labour had already moved to set a 10% SAF mandate and will make progress in giving producers a revenue guarantee to position the UK as a world leader in SAF technology.
A first meeting of the new Jet Zero taskforce is due to take place next week bringing industry leaders and legislators together to plan for aviation’s “green transformation”.
Haigh has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) agreeing cooperation on SAF with other countries.
As part of this agreement the UK government has pledged investment to support SAF production in other countries.
Haigh said the government intend to create jobs to “reindustrialise our great cities around the country”.
“Growing aviation for the future, that’s our government’s mission and I’m determined to work with all of you to achieve it.”
Haigh said she understood the industry has felt frustrated about being behind rail and road in terms of government priorities in the past.
She pointed out that the government does not have to subsidise the aviation sector but said the Labour manifesto included key commitments on both SAF and airspace modernisation.
“Aviation underpins so many of our national missions,” she said. “We see aviation fundamentally as an industrial policy.
“The opportunities for SAF, for reindustrialising parts of the country are enormous and if we get this transition right not only do we help this industry become more sustainable but we help it attract those jobs to this country as well.
“Jobs and regional growth around airports that the industry creates is potentially unlimited. What we don’t want to do is put an unnecessary ceiling on growth which is why we have started so quickly on the SAF mandate and pricing mechanism.”
Haigh added: “It’s a challenge but it’s also an extraordinary opportunity. If we are ambitious… and we can grasp this opportunity it could be really at the heart of this country’s next industrial revolution.”
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