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APD lobby group demands full inquiry into impact of tax

A call for a “full and comprehensive” review into the wider impact of Air Passenger Duty is being made today by the Fair Tax of Flying lobby group.


The body argues in its submission to the transport select committee inquiry into aviation strategy that no such review has taken place since the introduction of APD in 1994.


The tax has brought in £20 billion over the 18 year period but “we believe some hard-proof evidence of its effects is needed,” it says.


The group highlights the negative impact of APD on the aviation industry, inbound tourism, inbound investment and the UK economy as a whole.


The submission comes 20 weeks into A Fair Tax on Flying’s social media campaign encouraging travellers and businesses to contact MPs about the levels of APD.


Abta head of public affairs Luke Pollard said: “With over 290,000 people emailing the government with their concerns about the highest air passenger tax in the world, it’s time the Treasury commissioned a review into the wider impacts of APD.


“This inquiry is a perfect opportunity for leading aviation professionals to set out some of the issues surrounding the tax.


“The pressure will be on the government to use these findings to open up discussion on a matter that is critical to the UK’s growth prospects.”


British Air Transport Association chief executive Simon Buck added: “We welcome the transport committee’s interest in the impact of APD as there is strong evidence to believe that imposing the highest taxes on flying in the world is damaging to the UK economy.


“It is time for the government to carry out an independent review into the impact of the tax to determine whether tourism, inward investment and jobs are suffering as a result.”

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