To ask the Minister for the Economy what support he is providing to the aerospace manufacturing industry.

Invest NI and my Department continue to work closely with the wider Aerospace sector in our commitment to provide support as we emerge from the current pandemic.

Invest NI is committed to supporting Aerospace companies and in the last year offered over £2.8m in grant support and £3.3m in support for Innovation and almost £3m in support for skills.

Invest NI also works in partnership with ADS, the trade organisation for companies in the UK Aerospace, Defence, Security and Space sectors. Together the support the aerospace industry in Northern Ireland through programmes like the Aerospace Technology Institute, National Aerospace Technology Exploitation Programme, Sharing in Growth and 21st Century Supply Chain Programme (SC21) Competitiveness & Growth.

Invest NI has also invested over £1m in an Aerospace diversification programme to identify potential new target sectors, markets and customers, along with a review of sector capabilities.

Careers advice has been provided to almost 250 individuals in the aviation sector since April. This advice includes directing individuals to the programmes funded by the Department including the Assured Skills Academies and the new Flexible Skills Programme (FSP). Both of these initiatives provide short term training to assist individuals into employment. In the last financial year almost 6,000 individuals benefited from the FSP and we plan to deliver 47 Assured Skills Academies in 2021-22.

UK Government has also put substantial support in place to help the aviation and aerospace sector. This includes £11 billion made available through the Bank of England’s Covid Corporate Financing Facility, grants for research and development, loan guarantees and support for exporters.

I fully appreciate the challenges faced by the NI aerospace industry and shall continue to do everything possible to represent the interests of the sector.