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Chamber

Meeting of the Parliament 15 March 2016

15 Mar 2016 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Topical Question Time
Air Passenger Duty (Abolition)
Brown, Keith SNP Clackmannanshire and Dunblane Watch on SPTV

We are very conscious of that example, and we would, of course, be more than happy to receive a submission from Chic Brodie on that particular point, which we have noted.

I think that, in the previous United Kingdom Parliament, the UK Government afforded Northern Ireland the opportunity to reduce APD to zero for transatlantic flights. That is interesting. I also think that the Liberal Democrats supported that. The question is why the Liberal Democrats would support that for other parts of the United Kingdom but not for Scotland.

I entirely agree with Chic Brodie that other places, including the Republic of Ireland, have found it very beneficial to avoid doing what the UK seems to have wanted to do in relation to Scotland, which is to give the country the highest tax of its type in the world and therefore an inhibition on economic activity.

In the same item of business

1. Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD) LD
To ask the Scottish Government what independent assessment has been carried out into the impact of abolishing air passenger duty (S4T-01363).
The Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Investment and Cities (Keith Brown) SNP
We will reduce the burden of air passenger duty in Scotland by 50 per cent, with the reduction beginning when a Scottish replacement tax is introduced in Apr...
Alison McInnes LD
My question was what independent assessment had been carried out. In 2013, my colleague Willie Rennie asked the same question and asked for the evidence. In ...
Keith Brown SNP
If Alison McInnes had listened to my initial answer, she would know that I mentioned that we have gone out to consultation. In addition, we have a stakeholde...
Alison McInnes LD
The York Aviation report was also commissioned by the aviation industry—you could not make it up. Look at the stakeholder forum that the minister has referre...
Keith Brown SNP
No, there is more than one environmental voice. As well as Stop Climate Chaos Scotland, we have links with Scottish Environmental LINK, which also responded....
Alison McInnes LD
Stop Climate Chaos Scotland has said that a cut in APD would lead to 60,000 more tonnes of CO2, which is on top of emission targets being missed for four yea...
Keith Brown SNP
The reference to £250 million is as accurate as some of the other statements that Alison McInnes has made. It is completely wrong. What would have been the ...
Mark McDonald (Aberdeen Donside) (SNP) SNP
Given that Aberdeen airport is in my constituency and that the managing director of Aberdeen airport has been very open about the economic benefits that woul...
Keith Brown SNP
Mark McDonald makes a good point. It would be interesting to hear a conversation between Alison McInnes and Carol Benzie, the chief executive of the airport,...
Chic Brodie (South Scotland) (SNP) SNP
I welcome the Government’s consultation, including on the impact on the environment. Will the Scottish Government talk to the Dutch Government? In 2008-09, t...
Keith Brown SNP
We are very conscious of that example, and we would, of course, be more than happy to receive a submission from Chic Brodie on that particular point, which w...