Select committee: Scottish Affairs Committee
Conclusion 12
Fifth Report - Airports in Scotland
Published 22 Mar 2022
Paragraph 57
Addressed to Scotland Office
Scottish Affairs Committee Airports in Scotland All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
Scottish Airports told us that they welcomed the reduction in Air Passenger Duty but would like to have seen this take place in 2022 rather than waiting for its introduction in 2023. However, we recognise the operational issues that carriers would have experienced due to length of time it takes to implement these changes.
From: Scottish Affairs Committee, Fifth Report - Airports in Scotland (HC 601), paragraph 57, 22 March 2022
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 15 June 2022 (deadline 22 May 2022).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government responds to the report by agreeing on the need for sustainable aviation growth and improved communication with devolved administrations, while stating that one recommendation "cannot, however, be fully endorsed".
- On the strategic framework, it supports continued growth in aviation over the next 30 years and agrees with the committee that this growth "must be sustainable". It is "aiming to publish the Jet Zero Strategy later this year".
- On the Airspace Modernisation Programme, it agrees that it is a critical national infrastructure project and has announced a further £3.7 million. It says sponsors "are expected to resume responsibility for funding further stages", citing the "user pays principle".
- On regional connectivity, it "will consider whether there are further opportunities to utilise PSOs" and is "carefully considering" how to take forward the Union Connectivity Review.
- On Air Passenger Duty, it states that APD "is not a hypothecated tax" and does not commit to the requested investigation or report.