- Conservative Government to provide £100 million to support airports as they recover from coronavirus.
- East Midlands Airport to receive up to £8 million – enough to cover its entire Business Rates bill this year.
Kate Griffiths MP has welcomed the announcement from Transport Secretary Grant Shapps that East Midlands Airport will receive a Government grant of up to £8 million, helping to protect jobs and the local economy.
The funding will be equivalent to the Business Rates that the airport would otherwise have to pay – meaning that East Midlands Airport will pay nothing in Business Rates in 2020-21.
The funding, which will also be used to support ground handlers, comes as the Transport Secretary announced plans to reduce the time needed in self-isolation after travelling abroad. From 15 December, passengers returning from overseas will be given the option of having a coronavirus test after five days in isolation, with a negative test releasing them from the need to isolate for any longer.
Combined, the new funding and quarantine measures will give a much-needed boost to the aviation sector, which has faced a challenging year after passenger numbers severely declined during the coronavirus pandemic.
Airports, airlines and other aviation businesses have also been able to draw on the Government’s unprecedented support, including the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and Business Interruption Loans. In total, the aviation and aerospace sectors have received over £9 billion in support.
Commenting, Kate Griffiths MP said:
“Although not in my constituency, many of my constituents regularly rely on East Midlands Airport for work and leisure in ordinary times and it is hugely important to our local economy. I am reassured that it will receive up to £8 million to help it protect jobs during these challenging times.
“Along with the Government’s new testing strategy, I hope that this funding marks a real turning point for East Midlands Airport – which supports so many jobs and businesses in our community.
“This Conservative Government has provided unprecedented levels of support to protect jobs and businesses through the pandemic, and this latest support will be hugely important for helping Burton and the Midlands to build back better after coronavirus.”
