Northern Ireland peer Lord Rogan has described the Chancellor’s decision to reduce Air Passenger Duty (APD) by 50% for internal UK flights as “welcome but not before time.”
Lord Rogan said: “The removal of APD is a goal I have campaigned on for more than two decades since entering the House of Lords and we are halfway there with a 50% reduction.
“I have constantly made the case that APD has damaged Northern Ireland more than any other part of the UK by making it more expensive for local people to visit family and friends in Great Britain, go on holiday or do business.
“It has also been a cost barrier for people from other parts of the UK to visit the Province with the tourism sector particularly badly affected.
“It is a shame that the reduction in APD will not be introduced until April 2023 but, from that moment on, I expect Northern Ireland to become a magnet for the residents of England, Scotland and Wales to discover the many delights the Province has to offer.”
