Scottish Greens hail private jet tax review
The Scottish Greens have welcomed an announcement that the Scottish Government will be reviewing air departure tax rates, including for private jets specifically.
Answering a question at the Finance and Public Administration Committee this morning, the Cabinet Secretary said the rates and bands, including the rates on private jet flights, would be reviewed to ensure they align with net zero ambitions.
There were 12,911 recorded private flights to and from Scotland’s airports in 2023. A recent Oxfam study suggested a tax on these flights could raise up to £21.5 million. Private jets have estimated climate emissions of up to 14 times that of commercial flights.
The Scottish Greens transport spokesperson, Mark Ruskell MSP, said: “Private jets have a huge environmental impact, and while their super-rich occupants pinball between their golf courses and yachts, it’s taxpayers who are left paying for the damage.
“We all know that we urgently need to reduce aviation emissions, and one of the easiest ways to do that is to reduce private jet use. Taxing them fairly would deter such reckless flights, help move people to more sustainable modes of transport, and raise the funds to help us to mitigate the destructive impact they have on the rest of us.
“We all know Labour cuts at Westminster mean money is tight in Scotland. But it isn’t enough to point this out, we must use every lever at our disposal to raise the funds we need for essential services and climate action. I can think of no better way of raising these funds than taxing super-rich polluters.”
