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Tories propose 'sensible' taxation
1 Oct 2007
Conservative leader David Cameron has outlined his party's approach to taxation of air travel, claiming that it will look at the issue in a 'sensible way'.
A recently published Conservative policy review made a number of proposals that were unpopular with airlines and tourism associations, such as the imposition of VAT on domestic flights and a halt to all airport expansions in the south-east.
However Mr Cameron, speaking on BBC One's Andrew Marr Show, said that the Tories will be jettisoning certain policies to focus on the best way to curb pollution.
The party leader said the idea that VAT should be placed on domestic flights will be scrapped, as will plans to give travellers an 'allowance' of one flight before they begin to pay taxes.
Replacing these will be a system whereby taxes are based on the level of pollution that particular flights are responsible for.
'At the moment, in Gordon Brown's system, an empty aeroplane pays virtually no tax but a packed plane pays lots of taxes, yet both planes are responsible for the same pollution,' Mr Cameron said.
'We're going to change that and have a flight tax, what we call an airline pollution duty, and we will tax the individual flight.'
The Tory leader said that the proposals will be opened up to consultation and also claimed that they had received support from one airline.
Opodo is a leading online travel company offering flights, hotels, rental cars and holidays worldwide. Search for travel deals.
© Adfero Ltd
A recently published Conservative policy review made a number of proposals that were unpopular with airlines and tourism associations, such as the imposition of VAT on domestic flights and a halt to all airport expansions in the south-east.
However Mr Cameron, speaking on BBC One's Andrew Marr Show, said that the Tories will be jettisoning certain policies to focus on the best way to curb pollution.
The party leader said the idea that VAT should be placed on domestic flights will be scrapped, as will plans to give travellers an 'allowance' of one flight before they begin to pay taxes.
Replacing these will be a system whereby taxes are based on the level of pollution that particular flights are responsible for.
'At the moment, in Gordon Brown's system, an empty aeroplane pays virtually no tax but a packed plane pays lots of taxes, yet both planes are responsible for the same pollution,' Mr Cameron said.
'We're going to change that and have a flight tax, what we call an airline pollution duty, and we will tax the individual flight.'
The Tory leader said that the proposals will be opened up to consultation and also claimed that they had received support from one airline.
Opodo is a leading online travel company offering flights, hotels, rental cars and holidays worldwide. Search for travel deals.
© Adfero Ltd
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