Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 13 May 2025 to Question 49823 on Air Passenger Duty: Economic Growth, if she will estimate the potential impact of higher rates of Air Passenger Duty on the number of flights taken.

As set out in the March 2025 OBR forecast, passenger numbers are expected to exceed pre-pandemic levels in the coming year, and are expected to be around 10% higher than 2024-25 once the new APD rates are implemented in 2026-27. The expected passenger growth will only be slightly lower (less than one percentage point) than if rates were to increase in line forecast RPI, per the standard annual uprating.

The government is committed to securing the long-term future of the aviation sector in the UK and recognises the benefits of the connectivity it creates between the UK and the rest of the world.