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UK Parliament
Northern Ireland Committee, Air transport strategy, business, Northern Ireland

Air transport strategy oral evidence 24 October

18 October 2012

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The Northern Ireland Affairs Committee will hear from Belfast City Airport Watch and business interests as part of its inquiry into an air transport strategy for Northern Ireland on Wednesday 24 October

Committee Room 5, House of Commons

Witnesses

At 2.30 pm

  • Belfast City Airport Watch

At 3.00 pm
  • John Rooney, Rooney Fish, Vice Chair of the NI Assembly and Business Trust and Regional Liaison Officer, Federation of Small Businesses (FSB)
  • Glyn Roberts, Chief Executive, Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association (NIIRTA)

The Committee is inquiring into:

  • the implications of current air links for Northern Ireland, specifically the  economy
  • regional and international connectivity
  • the  lack of public transport links to, and between, Belfast International, Belfast City and City of Derry airports
  • the implications for Northern Ireland of the Civil Aviation Bill
  • the implications of the proposed takeover of bmi by IAG
  • tax policy

Information released by the NI Chamber of Commerce and BAA on 14 February 2012 stated that:

  • One in ten jobs in Northern Ireland depend on foreign investment, and half of those companies can only reach their home market through a hub airport
  • Aviation supports £1bn of exports from Northern Ireland
  • Foreign tourists spend £195m a year in Northern Ireland and account for 360,000 visits – 150,000 of whom arrive by air
  • Northern Ireland benefits directly from having a global hub in Britain, with Heathrow directly supporting 1,000 tourism jobs and 900 airport jobs in Northern Ireland

The Committee has previously heard oral evidence from representatives of Belfast International Airport, George Best Belfast City Airport, City of Derry Airport, CBI Northern Ireland, ABTA, Unite, the Consumer Council for NI, BALPA, the Department for Transport, the UK Border Agency, the Northern Ireland Executive, the International Airlines Group, Ryanair and easyJet.