Scottish Conservatives Propose Air Passenger Duty Cuts

by Jason Gorringe, Tax-News.com, London

19 December 2016

The Scottish Conservative Party has called for the repeal of air passenger duty (APD) on long-haul flights.

It said that the policy would help Scotland "go global" after the UK leaves the European Union.

The Party – the second-largest in Scotland – said it would back a proposal to remove APD on fares for destinations more than 2,000 miles away once the tax is devolved to the Scottish Parliament in 2018.

It is also said it supports an immediate freeze to the tax on short-haul flights to the UK and Europe to secure cheaper fares for passengers.

"As we prepare for Brexit, it is more important than ever to use these powers to go global, so we can create new jobs, deliver more opportunities, and build a stronger economy," said Scottish Conservative Shadow Finance Secretary Murdo Fraser. "Abolishing APD for long-haul flights has the potential to do just that for Scotland."

Fraser argued that the ruling Scottish National Party's plan to cut APD for all flights leaving Scotland by 50 percent "does not deliver the best value for money."

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