{"id":81994,"date":"2017-06-28T10:20:01","date_gmt":"2017-06-28T10:20:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?guid=8b880e9816b4ff907c6e7ffe949b65b4"},"modified":"2017-06-28T10:20:01","modified_gmt":"2017-06-28T10:20:01","slug":"speech-lord-callanans-keynote-address-to-abta-travel-matters-conference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?p=81994","title":{"rendered":"Speech: Lord Callanan\u2019s keynote address to ABTA Travel Matters conference"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"govspeak\">\n<h2 id=\"introduction\">Introduction<\/h2>\n<p>I\u2019m grateful for the opportunity to speak this morning (28 June 2017).<\/p>\n<p>If there\u2019s one thing that <abbr title=\"Association of British Travel Agents\">ABTA<\/abbr> seems to be good at, it\u2019s timing.<\/p>\n<p>Last year you scheduled the Travel Matters conference on what turned out to be the day before the <abbr title=\"European Union\">EU<\/abbr> referendum.<\/p>\n<p>I trust that gave you plenty to talk about.<\/p>\n<p>This year\u2019s was timed even better:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>right after a general election<\/li>\n<li>just as we kick off formal Brexit negotiations with the rest of the <abbr title=\"European Union\">EU<\/abbr>\n<\/li>\n<li>and just in time \u2014 I am pleased to say \u2014 for me to deliver my very first speech to industry as a DfT minister<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>It\u2019s a real privilege to have been asked to serve in this role.<\/p>\n<p>And at such an important time for our aviation and travel industries.<\/p>\n<p>Right at the outset, I\u2019d like to make something clear.<\/p>\n<p>Amid all the change and inevitable uncertainty of the moment \u2014 and I\u2019ll talk more about that shortly \u2014 one thing isn\u2019t going to change.<\/p>\n<p>This government will remain a pro-aviation, pro-travel government.<\/p>\n<p>Before the election, the government had already set a clear direction.<\/p>\n<p>One of its first actions last summer was to approve a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/news\/344-million-london-city-airport-expansion-hailed-by-chancellor\">major expansion of City Airport<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Next we negotiated the first ever UN Security Council resolution on aviation security.<\/p>\n<p>To confront the terrorist threat with all the co-operation, training and technical assistance available.<\/p>\n<p>A month later, we <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/news\/uk-and-china-to-increase-flights-between-both-countries-in-boost-for-global-britain\">signed a deal with China<\/a> to allow many more flights between our countries.<\/p>\n<p>We followed that up by announcing our support for a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/news\/government-decides-on-new-runway-at-heathrow\">new runway at Heathrow<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Then we ran a consultation on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/consultations\/reforming-policy-on-the-design-and-use-of-uk-airspace\">modernising our airspace<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Let me be clear.<\/p>\n<p>Our airspace is a piece of national infrastructure as important as our roads and railways.<\/p>\n<p>I know that our proposals matter to this industry and we are grateful for your support.<\/p>\n<p>A week after we began that consultation, we signed a deal in India to allow more flights between our countries.<\/p>\n<p>Soon we\u2019ll be publishing a call-for-evidence for the government\u2019s aviation strategy \u2014 our plan for how we can best support the industry in future.<\/p>\n<p>So the direction is clear: we\u2019re a government that recognises the vital importance of air travel to our country.<\/p>\n<p>But we also recognise that this is a challenging time for the industry.<\/p>\n<p>A year ago, the British people voted to leave the European Union.<\/p>\n<p>And last week we began formal negotiations to do just that.<\/p>\n<p>Now, I know that this industry wants certainty, and quickly.<\/p>\n<p>So does the government.<\/p>\n<p>So does the rest of the <abbr title=\"European Union\">EU<\/abbr>.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019ll be some time yet before we can deliver that certainty.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ve only had 1 full day of negotiations so far.<\/p>\n<p>But what I can say is that the early signs are encouraging.<\/p>\n<p>Michel Barnier \u2014 the European Commission\u2019s Chief Negotiator \u2014 said last week that an orderly <abbr title=\"United Kingdom\">UK<\/abbr> withdrawal is his priority, along with an end to uncertainty .<\/p>\n<p>And his concluding comment at the end of that first day of negotiation was that, and I quote:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>For both the <abbr title=\"European Union\">EU<\/abbr> and the <abbr title=\"United Kingdom\">UK<\/abbr>, a fair deal is possible and far better than no deal.<\/p>\n<p class=\"last-child\">That is why we will work all the time with the <abbr title=\"United Kingdom\">UK<\/abbr>, and never against the <abbr title=\"United Kingdom\">UK<\/abbr>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>And as we proceed with those negotiations, securing the best possible access to European aviation markets is a priority.<\/p>\n<p>And I believe we should be confident.<\/p>\n<p>Our aviation market is the biggest in Europe.<\/p>\n<p>You serve millions of <abbr title=\"European Union\">EU<\/abbr> nationals and every year carry millions of <abbr title=\"United Kingdom\">UK<\/abbr> holidaymakers to <abbr title=\"European Union\">EU<\/abbr> destinations.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s in the interests of the <abbr title=\"United Kingdom\">UK<\/abbr>, the <abbr title=\"European Union\">EU<\/abbr>, European countries, and everyone who travels between them that we seek an open, liberal arrangement for aviation.<\/p>\n<p>Of course, the final outcome will have to await the conclusion of negotiations.<br \/>\n\u2003<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"long-term-prospects-for-aviation\">Long-term prospects for aviation<\/h2>\n<p>But whatever happens, the long-term prospects for this industry are strong.<\/p>\n<p>Earlier this year, <abbr title=\"PricewaterhouseCoopers\">PWC<\/abbr> published a <a rel=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pwc.com\/gx\/en\/issues\/economy\/the-world-in-2050.html\">detailed report<\/a>, looking at how the global economic order will change by 2050 .<\/p>\n<p>Their forecast is that:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>the <abbr title=\"United Kingdom\">UK<\/abbr> will be the fastest growing economy of the <abbr title=\"Group of Seven\">G7<\/abbr> over the period to 2050<\/li>\n<li>we should grow faster than the <abbr title=\"European Union\">EU<\/abbr> average<\/li>\n<li>and that we should do better than other big economies, such as France and Germany<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Clearly, that growth is going to create new demand for international travel.<\/p>\n<p>But it is also predicated on more international travel.<\/p>\n<p>As <abbr title=\"PricewaterhouseCoopers\">PWC<\/abbr>\u2019s report makes clear future growth requires deeper links with the world\u2019s other fast-growing economies, many of which are not on our doorstep.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s why in the years ahead the aviation and travel industries will be so vital.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s why we were keen to sign those deals with China and India to allow many more flights between our countries. And that\u2019s why we took the decision to support a new runway at Heathrow.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"heathrow\">Heathrow<\/h2>\n<p>Let me say a little more on that decision.<\/p>\n<p>None of us like to see our airports being overtaken by competitors.<\/p>\n<p>But that\u2019s what has increasingly happened in recent years.<\/p>\n<p>Unless we get this runway built, that slide could continue.<\/p>\n<p>Yet when built, it could increase passenger choice, lower fares, and give the <abbr title=\"United Kingdom\">UK<\/abbr> room to grow our travel links for decades to come.<\/p>\n<p>Of course, one reason we opted for Heathrow is its potential for strengthening our domestic links too.<\/p>\n<p>That means strong surface access links \u2014 but also new domestic flights.<\/p>\n<p>The years I spent working as a member of the European Parliament gave me a real appreciation for how domestic links serve international travel.<\/p>\n<p>So it\u2019s good news that Heathrow Airport has promised 14 domestic routes, and that\u2019s what we\u2019ll make sure the airport delivers \u2014 for the good of the whole United Kingdom.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019d also like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who responded to our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/consultations\/heathrow-expansion-draft-airports-national-policy-statement\">consultation on the draft airports national policy<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019re making good progress analysing those responses and will set out the next steps as soon as possible.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"atol-bill\">\n<abbr title=\"Air Travel Organisers' Licensing\">ATOL<\/abbr> Bill<\/h2>\n<p>But finally, I\u2019d like to touch on 2 regulatory issues that I know are of interest to the sector, both of which were addressed in the Queen\u2019s Speech.<\/p>\n<p>First, the <a rel=\"external\" href=\"http:\/\/services.parliament.uk\/bills\/2017-19\/airtravelorganiserslicensing.html\">Air Travel Organisers\u2019 Licensing Bill<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Every year, <abbr title=\"Air Travel Organisers' Licensing\">ATOL<\/abbr> protects over 20 million people from losing money or being stranded if their tour operator goes out of business.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s an important scheme, and it gives consumers confidence in this industry.<\/p>\n<p>But in an evolving travel marketplace, we need to ensure the scheme keeps pace.<\/p>\n<p>For instance, online booking means that customers have a wider choice of providers \u2013 including those based overseas.<\/p>\n<p>Yet not every European travel provider is covered by the same level of protection.<\/p>\n<p>That is why the <abbr title=\"European Union\">EU<\/abbr> is now updating its regulations.<\/p>\n<p>To bring much of the rest of Europe closer to the model we have operated since we updated <abbr title=\"Air Travel Organisers' Licensing\">ATOL<\/abbr> in 2012.<\/p>\n<p>At the same time, it makes sense for us to harmonise our domestic regulations with those coming in across the <abbr title=\"European Union\">EU<\/abbr> \u2014 making it easier for you to trade across Europe.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s what the <abbr title=\"Air Travel Organisers' Licensing\">ATOL<\/abbr> bill will do.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a sign that, even as we ready to leave the <abbr title=\"European Union\">EU<\/abbr>, we will still be working in close partnership in the years to come.<\/p>\n<p>I am grateful for the support we have already received from the industry on this.<\/p>\n<p>And look forward to more of that support as the bill makes progress through Parliament.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"financial-guidance-and-claims-bill\">Financial Guidance and Claims Bill<\/h2>\n<p>And finally, our <a rel=\"external\" href=\"http:\/\/services.parliament.uk\/bills\/2017-19\/financialguidanceandclaims.html\">Financial Guidance and Claims Bill<\/a>, which is being taken forward by the Department for Work and Pensions, should address a very current concern and one that I know you are discussing later today: false sickness claims.<\/p>\n<p>Many claims of sickness are made following contact by claims management companies.<\/p>\n<p>Now, it would be wrong to tar all such companies with the same brush.<\/p>\n<p>The number of rogue operators may be relatively small.<\/p>\n<p>And, in any case, the government will always remain firmly on the side of the passenger.<\/p>\n<p>That is what the public would expect.<\/p>\n<p>Genuine claimants must be protected.<\/p>\n<p>But the evidence suggests that there is a real issue here.<\/p>\n<p>In one recent year, almost a quarter of claims companies faced regulatory intervention of some kind.<\/p>\n<p>And the public seems to agree that there\u2019s a problem.<\/p>\n<p>A 2015 survey by the Legal Ombudsman found that over three quarters of people do not believe that claims companies tell the truth.<\/p>\n<p>So our bill proposes to bring claims companies under the proper oversight of the Financial Conduct Authority for the first time.<\/p>\n<p>It also provides the <abbr title=\"Financial Conduct Authority\">FCA<\/abbr> with a new power to cap the fees that claims companies charge, protecting consumers and reducing the incentive for rogue firms to fuel exaggerated claims.<\/p>\n<p>We think that giving the <abbr title=\"Financial Conduct Authority\">FCA<\/abbr> these new powers should help tackle the worst of the behaviour we\u2019ve seen.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019d be very interested to hear the result of your discussion later today.<\/p>\n<p>And the government would be grateful for your support as the bill progresses through Parliament.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"conclusion\">Conclusion<\/h2>\n<p>But in conclusion, I\u2019d like to repeat what I said at the beginning.<\/p>\n<p>This is a pro-aviation, pro-travel government.<\/p>\n<p>The country needs this industry.<\/p>\n<p>For our economy and for the global links that you provide.<\/p>\n<p>So I\u2019ll be a minister who wants to see this industry delivering.<\/p>\n<p>Not just for our customers, but for the <abbr title=\"United Kingdom\">UK<\/abbr> as a whole.<\/p>\n<p>Thank you for your time.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Lord Callanan discusses Brexit and the future of aviation at the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) Travel Matters conference.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81994"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=81994"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81994\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=81994"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=81994"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=81994"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}