Call for evidence outcome

The effectiveness and efficiency of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)

Updated 17 July 2023

About the call for evidence

This call for evidence relates to the effectiveness and efficiency of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). It is part of evidence-gathering for the Department for Transport’s review of the CAA. It does not cover departmental policy.

The CAA is the United Kingdom’s independent specialist aviation and airspace, safety, security, consumer rights, spaceflight, and economic regulator. The CAA ensures:

• the aviation industry meets the highest safety standards
• consumers have a choice, value for money, and are protected and treated fairly when they fly
• the efficient use of airspace to manage the environmental impact of aviation on local communities and the reduction of CO2 emissions
• compliance with regulations so that security risks are effectively managed by the aviation industry

The call for evidence will not consider the CAA’s safety and airspace regulation approach, nor will it assess the operations of CAA’s subsidiary, Air Safety Support International (ASSI). The legal/statutory position for ASSI and its distinct role from CAA leaves it out of scope.

How to respond

See the ways to respond section of the consultation page on GOV.UK to find out how you can respond to this call for evidence.

The consultation period began on 28 November 2022 and will run until 29 January 2023. Please ensure that your response reaches us before the closing date.

Before you complete the call for evidence, please read our privacy notice.

Audience

Responses are welcomed from

• individuals currently licensed by the CAA
• passengers or cargo customers of UK aviation
• members of the public
• representative body for a group of individuals who are regulated by the CAA
• organisations or businesses currently regulated by the CAA
• representative bodies for a group of organisations that are currently regulated by the CAA
• individuals or representatives with a general interest in the subject of this call for evidence

We ask that respondents tell us where in the UK they live to help us analyse responses and identify areas with low response rates.

Enquiries

Please direct all enquiries about this call for evidence to CAAReviewTeam@dft.gov.uk Department for Transport CAA Call for Evidence 3rd Floor, Great Minster House 33 Horseferry Road London SW1P 4DR

What will happen next

A summary of responses, including the next steps, will be published within three months of the consultation closing on https://www.gov.uk/dft. Paper copies will be available on request.

Full list of questions

This list provides an overview of the questions we are asking. To respond to the questions, see the Ways to respond section of the consultation page on GOV.UK.

• Your name and email

• Are you responding as an individual or on behalf of an organisation?

• Are you licensed by the CAA, a customer of UK aviation, a member of the public or another type of individual not listed?

• What country do you live in?

• Are you licensed by the CAA?

• What are you licensed by the CAA for?

• Where is your organisation based? (if answering on behalf of an organisation)

• Is your organisation regulated by the CAA?

• What does the CAA regulate your organisation for:

• What type of business does your organisation operate (for example, an airline)?

• Do you support the CAA’s strategy and why?

• Have you had direct experience of the CAA in the past 5 years?

• If you don’t know or have not had direct experience of the CAA in the last 5 years and the remainder of this consultation is about that experience, you may now either continue answering the consultation questions or go to the final comments section.

• To what extent do you agree or disagree that the CAA has the right capability to fulfil its functions now and in the future?

• To what extent do you agree or disagree that the CAA has the appropriate technical capability to make sound regulatory decisions?

• To what extent do you agree or disagree that the CAA is appropriately structured to fulfil its functions / organised to fulfil its functions and why?

• To what extent do you agree or disagree that the CAA is able to anticipate future regulatory requirements for the sector and prepare new regulatory frameworks in a timely fashion and why?

• To what extent do you agree or disagree that the CAA supports economic growth of the aviation sector through its regulatory decisions?

• To what extent do you agree or disagree that the CAA effectively supports the aviation sector outside of its core regulatory functions (for example, by enabling economic growth, innovation, skills and environmental sustainability in the aviation sector)?

• To what extent do you agree or disagree that the CAA encourages a capable, diverse and sustainable workforce for aviation and aerospace?

• To what extent do you agree or disagree that the CAA supports technological and operational innovation across the sector?

• To what extent do you agree or disagree that the CAA is effective in supporting the aviation sector to meet its environmental goals?

• To what extent do you agree that the CAA engages effectively with its stakeholders (including customers)?

• To what extent do you agree that the CAA seeks feedback to improve its performance and customer services?

• Have you ever provided feedback to the CAA to improve its performance?

• To what extent do you agree that the CAA acts upon customer feedback to improve performance?

• To what extent do you agree or disagree that the CAA’s charges to users for regulatory approvals offer good value for money?

• To what extent do you agree or disagree that the CAA’s charges to users for licensing offer good value for money?

• To what extent do you agree or disagree that the CAA’s current funding model is the right model for the future?

• To what extent do you agree or disagree that the CAA’s annual consultation on its scheme of charges is effective?

• Do you believe the funding model could be improved?

• How do you think the funding model could be improved?

• Do you pay charges to the CAA?

• To what extent do you agree or disagree that you would be willing to pay more to increase the standards of customer service and access premium service functions?

• To what extent do you agree or disagree that the CAA’s current funding model enables the creation of future regulatory frameworks and innovation?

• How does the CAA’s customer service compare to other aviation regulators?

• How does the CAA’s charging structure compare to other aviation regulators?

• To what extent do you agree or disagree that the CAA makes regulatory decisions and appeals decisions in an efficient and effective manner?

• To what extent do you agree or disagree that you are able to engage with CAA subject matter experts to gain timely advice on specific regulatory topics?

• To what extent do you agree or disagree that the CAA effectively carries out its licensing duties?

• To what extent do you agree or disagree that the CAA effectively regulates airlines with its current powers?

• To what extent do you agree or disagree that the CAA effectively regulates airports and air traffic controls (economic regulation) with its current powers?

• In your view does the CAA have the right powers to effectively regulate the aviation market?

• What additional powers do you think the CAA requires?

• To what extent do you agree or disagree that the CAA effectively regulates space with its current powers?

• To what extent do you agree or disagree that the CAA effectively administers the ATOL scheme?

• To what extent do you agree or disagree that the CAA effectively enforces consumer rights with its current powers?

• To what extent do you agree or disagree that the CAA is seen as a globally influential regulator with key partner National Aviation Authorities and international organisations?

• To what extent do you agree or disagree that the CAA acts to support the UK aviation sector, travelling public and economy?

• Do you have any other comments?

Freedom of information

Information provided in response to this consultation, including personal information, may be subject to publication or disclosure in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) or the Environmental Information Regulations 2004.

If you want the information you provide to be treated as confidential, please be aware that, under the FOIA, there is a statutory code of practice with which public authorities must comply and which deals, amongst other things, with obligations of confidence.

In view of this it would be helpful if you could explain to us why you regard the information you have provided as confidential. If we receive a request for disclosure of the information, we will take full account of your explanation, but we cannot give an assurance that confidentiality can be maintained in all circumstances. An automatic confidentiality disclaimer generated by your IT system will not, of itself, be regarded as binding on the department.

The department will process your personal data in accordance with the Data Protection Act (DPA), and in the majority of circumstances, this will mean that your personal data will not be disclosed to third parties.

Confidentiality and data protection

The Department for Transport (DfT) is conducting this consultation to gather evidence on the effectiveness and efficiency of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in its functions. It is part of evidence-gathering for the Department for Transport’s review of the CAA.

This consultation and the processing of personal data that it entails is necessary for the exercise of our functions as a government department. If your answers contain any information that allows you to be identified, DfT will, under data protection law, be the Controller for this information.

As part of this consultation, we’re asking for your name and email address. This is in case we need to ask you follow-up questions about any of your responses. You do not have to give us this personal information. If you do provide it, we will use it only for the purpose of asking follow-up questions.

For organisations, we are, in addition, asking for a brief description of your organisation to better understand the relationship between your organisation’s work and the topic.

If responding to this call for evidence online, your personal data will be processed on behalf of the department by SmartSurvey, which runs the survey collection software.

Your name and email address will not be shared with any other third parties, but your responses and evidence may be shared with a third party for the purposes of analysis.

We will not use your name or other personal details that could identify you when we report the results of the call for evidence. Any information you provide will be kept securely and destroyed within 12 months of the closing date. Any information provided through the online questionnaire will be moved to our internal systems within 2 months of the call for evidence period end date.

DfT’s privacy policy has more information about your rights in relation to your personal data, how to complain and how to contact the Data Protection Officer. [View the DfT privacy policy] (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-transport/about/personal-information-charter).

DfT’s privacy policy has more information about your rights in relation to your personal data, how to complain and how to contact the Data Protection Officer. You can view it at https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-transport/about/personal-information-charter.

Consultation principles

This consultation is being conducted in line with the government’s consultation principles.

If you have any comments about the consultation process, please contact, Consultation Co-ordinator, Department for Transport, Zone 1/29 Great Minster House, London SW1P 4DR. consultation@dft.gov.uk.