House of Commons Hansard Debates for 24 Feb 2016 (pt 0001)
In a Commons session yesterday on matters affecting Wales
Liam Fox, MP for North Somerset, asked the
Secretary of State for Wales, Stephen Crabb, what assessment had been made of the potential effect of devolving air passenger duty to Wales.
The Sec of State replied, "This Government have a proud record on devolution in Wales: establishing the Silk commission, devolving landmark new fiscal powers and taking forward the St David’s day agreement through the new Wales Bill. In that agreement, we committed to consider the case for devolving APD to Wales and this work is currently being undertaken and assessed by the Treasury."
Dr Fox then asked, "Devolving air passenger duty will create a market distortion favouring a state-owned airport against a private one. It will damage the economic viability of Bristol airport and have consequential detrimental effects in the south-west. When my right hon. Friend discusses this with the Chancellor, will he gently reflect on the fact that, had our colleagues not made such great gains in the south-west, there would not be a majority Conservative Government?"
The Sec of State replied, "I am sure that my right hon. Friend, like me, welcomes the fact that the Government are cutting APD in all parts of the UK. However, let us be clear: I want Cardiff airport to be a success story, but I also recognise that there are serious concerns about the effect APD devolution might have on competition issues in relation to Bristol airport."
I suppose the reference to cutting APD 'in all parts of the UK' refers to passengers under 16.
No surprise that this little exchange shed no new light on what the government may decide and I doubt that Dr Fox's attempt to pull in some favours for the South West's help in bringing in a Conservative government will cut much ice. Perversely, Bristol itself provides three of the four Labour MPs in the South West region with the other 51 being Conservative.