HC Deb 16 September 2003 vol 410 cc653-4W
Mr. Laws

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the revenue yield from increasing the level of air passenger duty from £5 to £10 on economy flights within the European Economic Area; and if he will make a statement. [130125]

John Healey

Increasing the reduced rate of air passenger duty from £5 to £10 on flights within the European Economic Area would have raised an estimated £595 million in 2002–03 from this category of passenger.

Mr. Laws

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the revenue yield from raising the level of air passenger duty for club class and first class flights(a) from £10 to £20 for destinations within the European Economic Area and (b) from £40 to £50 for non-EEA destinations. [130126]

John Healey

Increasing the standard rate of air passenger duty (APD) from £10 to £20 on flights within the European Economic Area (EEA) would have raised an estimated £65 million in 2002–03 from this category of passenger. Increasing the standard rate of APD from £40 to £50 on flights outside the EEA would have raised an estimated £135 million in the same financial year from this category of passenger.

Mr. Laws

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the relationship between the level of air passenger duty and petrol duty in terms of the environmental objectives of Government taxation policies; and if he will make a statement. [130554]

John Healey

Levels of all taxes, including air passenger duty and petrol duty, are reviewed on a Budget-by-Budget basis, taking account of a range of social, economic and environmental considerations.