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Tories' green taxes would fund tax breaks for families
Last updated at 12:07pm on 28.08.07
David Cameron wants to make high-speed trains the transport of choice
The proposals, drafted for David Cameron and to be published this month, are designed to win votes among young people and families
With other moves, including higher duty on gas-guzzling 4x4s, the Conservatives believe that they will generate enough "green taxes" to help fund measures such as a married couples' allowance.
They have drawn up a list of proposals including a freeze on all airport expansion and tough new taxes on flights to make Britain greener - and make high-speed trains the transport of choice.
Senior party figures hope that the plans will make the Tories the greenest party at the next general election and win votes among young people and families worried about global warming.
The Conservatives' Quality of Life Policy Group, chaired by former minister John Gummer and green campaigner Zac Goldsmith, has concluded that serious measures are needed to halt the growth in UK flights. Among their proposals are:
• A moratorium on all airport expansion, including Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted;
• The imposition of VAT on fuel for domestic flights;
• A "single flight tax" to shift tax burden from passengers to airlines;
• Domestic flight slots to be handed to long-haul trips instead.
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Radical: Tories plan to make Britain greener by freezing all airport expansion
The group has however decided to ditch a much-ridiculed proposal to impose a "green air miles" limit on air travel by which travellers would have been allowed only one flight and then would have had to pay more for each subsequent flight.
The idea has now been dropped as impractical and bureaucratic.
Heathrow has already come under unprecedented fire this summer for its severe delays and losing passengers' baggage.
After 18 months' work, the report by the Quality of Life group will harness public anger with the airport's bosses BAA. The Tories want to split up BAA's monopoly to allow Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted to be run separately to boost competition.
The group has found that almost 20 per cent of flights from Heathrow every year are to destinations within easy reach by train. The top 10 shorthaul journeys are to Paris, Amsterdam, Edinburgh, Manchester, Brussels, Glasgow, Newcastle, Leeds/Bradford, Rotterdam and Durham/Tees Valley.
If those slots were handed to longhaul flights instead, Heathrow could abandon its plans for a third runway, the Tory group has discovered.
"A moratorium at the very least would allow us to look at what can be done to enhance capacity on the longer flights," a senior source said.
"With extra security delays at airports and the new Channel Tunnel rail link cutting the journey time to Paris and Brussels, travelling by rail can give the taxpayer and passenger better value for money - as well as being much better for the planet."
The policy group also proposes to scrap Air Passenger Duty, which Gordon Brown this year increased by between £5 and £40 for various flights.
It wants to replace the "crude" tax with a "single flight tax" that would charge airlines for the CO2 emissions per flight. The tax would be an expensive disincentive to planes to take off half-full.
VAT would also be put on domestic flights. Some 12 out of the original 15 EU states currently impose VAT and environmentalists believe the British exemption for airlines is an "anachronism".
Although air travel makes up less than 7 per cent of the UK's carbon emissions, the figure is set to soar to 25 per cent by 2050 under Labour's expansion plans.
Reader views (6)
Domestic flights will continue to be the short haul mode of choice in the UK until the Government makes a firm commitment to new high speed railways like the French TGV. They're affordable, environmentally friendly, more convenient than flying and would considerably boost the economy. Come on Mr Cameron, after 10 years of all stick and no carrot under Labour the public might like to be offered a positive way forward.
- Richard, Oxford
There's no such thing as tax 'breaks'. There's only tax redistribution.
Trying to wean politicians (at all levels) of the addiction to tax raising means cold turkey. Perhaps a more effective leader of the Conservative Party would be Bernard Matthews.
- Michael Murphy, Brightlingsea, England
He really doesn't want to be the next PM does he? Just as well really as he isn't up to it.
- Dave, Cornwall
Anything that makes Britain greener has got to be applauded. I do hope however, that punitive tax increases on 4x4's would be limited to people who live in towns and inner city environments. For those of us that live in rural areas they are essential as nobody grits the roads in the winter and we now find ourselves wading through flood waters because nobody manages the drainage system anymore (despite exhorbitant council tax).
- James, Essex
So, assuming that man actually has an effect on the climate, and that the increasing population of man will make the issue worse, then why, oh why, do parents get tax breaks to assist in growing the population? Surely you should get a tax break for having a vasectomy.
- Graham, Reading, England
So the top Tories will now use the public transport they presently abhor and shun?
As for Tories splitting BAA's monopoly, are they forgetting they created it?
Believing the reasons for this sudden 'green' agenda is akin to folk verifying the existence of Father Christmas and the Tooth Fairy.
- Joe, Edinburgh
