MP speaks up against ‘unfair’ air passenger duty system
Chuka Umunna MP has spoken against the UK’s system of air passenger duty which adversely impacts on those travelling to the Caribbean.
Mr Umunna joined Diane Abbott MP, who secured yesterday’s adjournment debate, in highlighting the lack of fairness in the current system of air passenger duty (APD).
APD is calculated according to the location of the capital city of a destination country, which means that those travelling to the Caribbean pay more than if they were flying to Hawaii, thousands of miles further from the UK.
Although the government has said it is reviewing the system by which APD is calculated, having announced this in its June Budget, Treasury Minister Justine Greening, responding in the adjournment debate, was unable to clarify when the review will conclude when asked by Mr Umunna, and did not outline any further details.
However, she did confirm that any changes would be subject to a further consultation.
As well as the Caribbean, APD impacts on flights to all other continents.
Speaking in yesterday’s debate, Mr Umunna said:
“I represent one of the constituencies with the biggest Caribbean diaspora populations in the country. It covers Brixton, for example, and this is a huge issue in my community.
“How can it be fair to charge a greater level of tax to fly to Jamaica – there are many Jamaican families in my constituency – than to fly the whole way to Hawaii? I would appreciate an answer on that.”
Commenting after the debate, Mr Umunna said:
“The way APD is currently worked out is grossly unfair on those visiting relatives in the Caribbean and is also potentially very damaging to tourism in the region.
“I urge the government to act quickly on this issue and put in place a new, fairer system of calculating APD as soon as possible.”
