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To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that the setting of rates and bands for air departure tax, including any proposed private jet supplement, is consistent with its net zero policy and objectives. (S7O-00430)
Official Report · Chamber
Air Departure Tax (Rates and Bands)
Portfolio Question Time
This is the draft Official Report. The final version may differ.
Speakers
Choose an MSP to read only their contributions- Jim Fairlie SNP 4
- Patrick Harvie Green 2
- Jamie Langan Reform 1
- Murdo Fraser Con 1
- Clare Adamson SNP 1
The record
9 contributions
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Jim Fairlie
SNP The Minister for Agriculture, Marine and the Islands · Perthshire South and Kinross-shire
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The Scottish Government is committed to implementing a private jet tax within our devolved air departure tax from 1 April 2028. Private jets generally carry fewer passengers than commercial flights and, therefore, produce significantly more emissions per person. That is why we will be taking action to ensure that the wealthy few who choose to fly by private jet will pay their fair share. The Deputy First Minister will set out the ADT rates for 2028-29, including those for private jets, at the Scottish budget on 3 December.
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I think that the minister may have intended to say that there will be significantly higher emissions per person rather than significantly lower emissions. However, the tax will be most consistent with net zero as a policy if it contributes to reduced emissions through reduced unnecessary flying. The biggest source of the problem in that regard is not people taking an occasional family holiday; it is very wealthy frequent flyers. Will the minister and the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Rural Affairs make the case in Government that the setting of rates and bands should be along the lines of a frequent flyer levy, whereby the rates and bands increase based on the number of flights that are taken? That would not only disincentivise unnecessary flying but raise money that could be spent on reducing the cost of sustainable public transport.
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The Deputy First Minister has heard all the arguments, and she will make a decision on how she will take that forward.
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Does the minister agree that the aviation sector is crucial to Scotland’s economy, particularly the tourism sector, and that Government policy should be working to promote it rather than seeing it as an issue that should be managed?
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Again, the Deputy First Minister will take all those matters into account when she sets her budget. She will take a decision on how she approaches that.
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I can well remember the former Scottish National Party tourism minister Fergus Ewing coming to the chamber week after week demanding the devolution of air passenger duty so that it could be cut in order to give Scotland a competitive advantage over airports elsewhere in the United Kingdom. What modelling has the Scottish Government done on the economic opportunity that is presented by making targeted cuts to air departure tax to attract more visitors to come and support the Scottish tourism sector? Will the minister just follow the lead of the anti-business Greens?
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I find such conversations in the chamber really frustrating. A budget is coming up and everybody has their views. I have said it three times: the Deputy First Minister is taking all those things into account, so members should have such conversations with the Deputy First Minister as the budget is brought forward. I do not remember the Tories ever having anything in a budget that has been delivered in the chamber. Perhaps now is the opportunity to knock on the door of the Deputy First Minister.
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The member who lodged question 7 is not able to be in the chamber, and an explanation has been given to the Presiding Officers.
Motions, questions and votes
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