Jim Sheridan
Main Page: Jim Sheridan (Labour - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)Department Debates - View all Jim Sheridan's debates with the Department for Transport
(13 years ago)
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Jim Sheridan (Paisley and Renfrewshire North) (Lab)
I will be brief, Mr Gale, because I am conscious of the time. Siren voices in Scotland are already arguing that air passenger duty should be devolved to the Scottish Parliament. I do not share that view, because it would create more problems than it would solve, so I hope that the Minister and her colleagues will resist any temptation to do that.
On Scottish airports, increased competition for slots at Heathrow is already causing a problem, as my hon. Friend the Member for Central Ayrshire (Mr Donohoe) suggested by highlighting BMI’s withdrawal of its flights from Glasgow to Heathrow. The net result is that we have only one airline that flies from Glasgow to London Heathrow, namely British Airways, which has a monopoly where the prices are already soaring. That has given us many problems.
Finally—I am grateful for this opportunity to speak, Mr Gale—Scotland is located on the periphery of Europe and, as such, travelling by air is not a luxury, but an essential element of business and family life. I sincerely hope that the Minister takes that into account.