Mr. McDonaldTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many of the regular scheduled passenger flights to the Scottish islands he estimates will be exempted from the air passenger duty from 1 October 1994; and if he will make it his policy to provide a general exemption for all regular scheduled passenger flights to and from the Scottish islands, and within the Scottish islands, regardless of the number of passengers that can be carried.
§ Sir John CopeBased on October 1993 timetables, it is estimated that about a quarter of flights to the Scottish islands from the mainland and about three quarters of inter-island flights will be exempt from air passenger duty. The exemption relates to criteria for Civil Airports Authority airline licensing requirements. It would be difficult to justify relieving all flights in one particular area but not elsewhere.