To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Government is taking to support (a) aspiring pilots and (b) newly-qualified people entering the aviation industry with the cost of flight training.

The Government recognises the cost of pilot training as a particular barrier to young people pursuing a career within aviation, and a barrier for diversity and social mobility. My Department is actively engaging with industry stakeholders and other partners to develop options for increasing the accessibility of pilot training.

The Department launched the ‘Reach for the Sky’ programme in 2019 to improve future inclusion and career opportunities within the aviation sector. The programme aims to attract under-represented groups, and particularly young people, including aspiring pilots, to careers in aviation by addressing financial and wider social barriers and creating new opportunities in the sector.