UK will only consider support for individual aero firms as a last resort - minister

LONDON, May 6 (Reuters) - British aerospace and aviation firms must look at existing government schemes and self-help measures before individual packages for companies are considered, housing minister Robert Jenrick said on Wednesday.

"We want to support the aviation sector in any way that we can," Jenrick said, asked at a news conference about possible job cuts at engine-maker Rolls-Royce

"We've said before that we're willing to consider situations where we would support individual firms, but obviously only when they've worked through the existing government schemes and other ways in which they might be able to raise finance commercially, or through existing shareholders." (Reporting by Paul Sandle, Costas Pitas and William James; writing by Alistair Smout; editing by Stephen Addison)