Think Tank calls for abolition of Air Passenger Duty

Air Passenger Duty or APD is to be devolved to Scotland following the recommendations in the Smith Commission, but an Edinburgh-based think tank has called for it to be completely abolished.

[tweet_box design=”default”]Reform Scotland has issued a report detailing 11 improvements needed to make Scotland the world’s easiest place to do business.[/tweet_box]

One of these steps is to abolish the tax on air passengers completely. Ben Thomson, the retiring Chair of the organisation, says that the abolition of the tax would be of great benefit to the country and would improve the international reach of Scotland’s businesses. You can read the report in full below.

Edinburgh Airport has always maintained that the abolition of the duty would result in economic improvement for Scotland, and that even by reducing it by half could have a benefit of around £200m.

Yesterday Scottish Secretary David Mundell told a committee of MSPs at Holyrood that he would work constructively with them to deliver all the proposals contained in the all-party Smith Commission agreement.

Meeting @DavidMundellDCT, Secretary of State for Scotland, on his visit to @ScotParl pic.twitter.com/IGYgFYcKno

— Presiding Officer (@TriciaMarwickPO) June 25, 2015

He appeared before the Scottish Parliament’s Devolution (Further Powers) Committee and during the session he said: “I am grateful for the opportunity to attend the Committee this morning as part of the Government’s work to implement in full the all-party Smith Commission Agreement. That was the manifesto commitment of this Government and that is what we are doing at the earliest opportunity.

“In making the Scotland Bill as effective as possible I will continue to be constructive and look for ways to work with Members of both Parliaments, and to continue working closely with the Deputy First Minister and the Scottish Government.”

You can read more on the Scotland Bill here