Northern Ireland Conservatives chairman, Irwin Armstrong, has welcomed the NI Affairs Committee’s report on Air Passenger Duty, which recommends that the levy should be abolished in Northern Ireland.
“The committee, which is chaired by Laurence Robertson and contains four other Conservatives, has responded to our special circumstances. Due to the water which divides Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK, air travel is not a luxury here, it is a necessity. Our airports are also uniquely affected by the proximity of the Republic of Ireland, with its lower aviation taxes”.
“This report is encouraging for business, for the tourism industry and for anyone who travels by plane from Northern Ireland. With Corporation Tax, and now with APD, Conservatives have consistently shown willing to consider special solutions tailored to our special circumstances. In David Cameron we have a Prime Minister who is committed to Northern Ireland and who keeps an open mind to the best ways to get our economy kick started”.
“It’s noteworthy that the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee has suggested a more radical solution to the APD problem than the Executive at Stormont was prepared to contemplate. Conservatives led from the front with this report and we will continue to do so as we seek to grow our economy and realise our potential”.