Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Department for Transport

Oral Answers to Questions

Steve Double Excerpts
Thursday 21st March 2019

(5 years, 1 month ago)

Commons Chamber
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Chris Grayling Portrait Chris Grayling
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I absolutely agree: we need both western and southern access to Heathrow. That is an important part of ensuring that the airport can expand in a sustainable way, but it will also make a real difference to the hon. Lady’s constituents who work at the airport.

Steve Double Portrait Steve Double (St Austell and Newquay) (Con)
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Air passenger duty not only puts UK airports at a competitive disadvantage, but is a particular challenge to domestic carriers, where passengers end up paying the duty twice. Will the Secretary of State join the “A Fair Tax on Flying” campaign and encourage the Treasury to cut air passenger duty on domestic flights once we leave the EU?

Chris Grayling Portrait Chris Grayling
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I know how strongly people in regional airports feel about this issue and the intense pressure from around the United Kingdom on the Treasury to look at this again. I know my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has taken careful note of all those representations. Of course, the one thing that would not help Newquay airport and others is Labour’s plan to hike air passenger duty.