Air travel tax cuts help rich

Plans to cut aviation tax in Scotland are a tax giveaway to the wealthy and big firms, according to a report.

Green campaign group Fellow Traveller found 70 per cent of the richest households would benefit but only 30 per cent of the poorest.

An SNP Bill would half the tax on air travel and eventually scrap it. Official figures say halving it would cost Scotland £189million in lost revenue by 2021-22.

The report said the rest of the UK would follow suit and “any competitive advantage will be short-lived”.

The Scottish Government said the air tax plans are a “fundamental component to improving Scotland’s international connectivity and providing a real boost to our economy”.