You can`t scrap APD in one area and not another except perhaps London
to help pay for it`s new runway
Why not? it was done at Aldergrove for long haul flights.
That is what it used to be before a succession of chancellors decided to treat this tax like they do and increase it the same way as alcohol ,petrol and tobacco because they thought it was a luxury to be able to fly around Europe for 2 pence.
Certainly did for most, not for those swanning around in private jets of course. APD started as one of Ken Clarke's many so-called "stealth taxes" in the early 1990s, and the tradition of "stealth taxes" has continued with subsequent chancellors.
Well it stopped that but also caused a lot of hurt for the aviation industry in the U.K. At least , it seems, that this lobbying has not only stopped the continual increase but will also cause a rethink about how this tax should be collected going forward.
Yes, it gives the impression that the government is anti-aviation, a pity as the aviation industry is one of the UK's success stories.
I have read that a straight abolition of APD across the U.K. would pay for itself but I'm sure that debate should be for a different thread.
Apparently present levels of APD deters inbound tourism, chokes off investment and costs the economy 25,000 jobs.
90,000 jobs would be created and £4 billion added to the economy within a year of scrapping APD. Who knows if this is accurate but if so, it's a no-brainer.
The government must be aware of this, it has been chipping away at APD for the last couple of years.