Taxpayers ‘should fund new flights to China, India and Russia’
PUBLIC money should be used to subsidise more direct flights from Scotland to China, Russia, India and Brazil, the country’s two main opposition parties have urged.
Both Labour and the Conservatives yesterday urged SNP ministers to set up a dedicated pot of cash to tempt airlines to fly routes direct to the new global economic powerhouses.
They claim such links would be vital for Scottish firms hoping to do business in regions of high growth.
A Chinese delegation is expected in Scotland early next year to discuss the possibility of improved links between Scotland and China, following First Minister Alex Salmond’s visit to the world’s second largest economy earlier this month.
Ministers say they are pressing the EU to relax their guidelines on subsidising such air routes, after a similar fund run by the previous Lib-Lab Scottish Executive fell foul of EU laws.
But opposition parties say a fund which is compliant with EU law could commence immediately.
The calls come amid growing concern about Scotland’s air connections after British Airways’ parent firm announced earlier this month that it would be taking over BMI. It means that BA is now the sole carrier from Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen to Heathrow, the UK’s biggest international hub.
While families and businesses in Scotland can fly direct to the US, Canada and Dubai, many other long-haul destinations to the Far East, Asia and South America, are only available via hub airport such as Heathrow or Schiphol in Holland.
Opposition leaders say direct links to emerging nations should now be prioritised to allow businesses more efficient connections to and from Scotland.
Labour’s transport spokesperson, Elaine Murray, said: “Emerging economies like Brazil, Russia, India and China are going to be tomorrow’s powerhouse economies, and so we need to get in early.
“Scotland is a world-leader in products like premium food and drinks, renewable energy and video games. We have products and ideas to sell to the world. But if we want foreign companies to buy Scottish then we need first-class transport links to emerging markets.”
Tories said they too backed a successor to the old Air Route Development Fund, and called on ministers to find a way to make it compliant with EU law.
‘Better connections’ following China visit
Scottish Conservative finance spokesman Gavin Brown said: “The SNP claim they cannot operate the air route fund because it falls foul of EU rules. However, there is now a strong consensus that an EU compliant successor could be developed to help boost tourism and the economy.
“What is required is the political will to make it happen.”
Ministers say they are hopeful that Mr Salmond’s recent visit to China will lead to better connections, with an aviation delegation from China expected in Scotland early next year.
A Scottish Government spokesman added: “We have also consistently argued there is need for a state-aid mechanism which would be effective in supporting our aspirations to improve Scotland’s international air links.
“The current EC guidelines severely restrict the amount of aid that can be given and to which airports.”
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Comments
There are 68 comments to this article
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TRUTHSLEUTH
Sunday, January 1, 2012 at 06:05 PMWhy not ask the Chinese to subsidise the flights they have the money
aonghas
Friday, December 30, 2011 at 02:45 AMquite right - london (the epicentre of greed) has clogged airspace and scotland NEEDS all the inward ivestment and networking it can muster - Edinburgh - Beijing - love it!!
Electric Hermit
Thursday, December 29, 2011 at 11:18 PMEmbra-centricism is as toxic as being London-centric. Close down the Scottish regional airports at your peril.
Rob Royston
Thursday, December 29, 2011 at 09:51 PM64-continued ## with a huge runway heading to the Forth in line with the B9124. All the British airports at Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Prestwick need to be closed. Together with the Orkney Container Transhipment Port, we will then be the hub of our own World instead of a squeezed out ex-UK partner as at present.
Rob Royston
Thursday, December 29, 2011 at 09:41 PMWhy do they call it British airways when all their domestic and international flights start or end in London? Why are Scots airports set up to feed passengers to the London hubs? Like everything else in the dying UK, you have London with its arms wide open to welcome the world and its backside to the rest of the UK. Same with the railways, HS1 already built to Europe from London. UK dafties still travel on 19th century track. A 60 mile trench gets dug from London to the sea so that they can keep control of container import and export, when cheaper and already available solutions exist in Scotland. Everything for London, no matter the cost. An Independent Scotland will need to remedy these barriers to our utilisation of our prime posiition as the air and sea entrance point to Northern Europe and beyond. A major air, rail and road terminal needs to be built North of Larbert at Pows Wood where the rail line goes under the Motorway with a
Auld Twa
Thursday, December 29, 2011 at 05:16 PMNorthern Ireland has been given the right to set and collect air flight tax, unlike Scotland who has to hand their taxes over to London. It would make sense if we could subsidise the flights by varying the flight taxes but there is no point in subsidising long haul flights just to hand back money to London from our block grant,
Bunch of malcontent whingers
Thursday, December 29, 2011 at 03:22 PM#61 As G Marx allegedly stated: "I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member."
Richard Lionheart
Thursday, December 29, 2011 at 03:13 PM#58 You are spot on. Proof again that the huge salaries paid to our career politicians has not attracted quality candidates, and that we are now in a situation where the evidence shows that we need a new breed of Politicians with common sense!
observator
Thursday, December 29, 2011 at 02:26 PMWhy not require airlines which want to serve Scotland to offer a direct link to at least one such destination daily? No subsidy. I wonder why opposition parties which resist independence are so anxious to promote something which will enhance Scotland's statehood profile.
briteric
Thursday, December 29, 2011 at 01:57 PMThey State "Opposition leaders say direct links to emerging nations should now be prioritised to allow businesses more efficient connections to and from Scotland" and therefore recognise we are an emerging Nation. Welcome aboard. Now get on your bike and be positive when voicing your opinion in the Parliament. So we can get the left, right and Centre force taking us to independence. Travel worldwide from Scotland . bring it on.
WJohn
Thursday, December 29, 2011 at 01:02 PMBrilliant. Tax the flights. Give the money back as a subsidy for flights. Tax the flights. Employ people to take the money with one hand and give it back with the other.
Jimmy the Pie
Thursday, December 29, 2011 at 12:59 PM#50 mjc, my what a cutting edge comment. The unionist meltdown continues unabated.
New Unionism
Thursday, December 29, 2011 at 12:56 PMThink if we could fill just one plane full of Michael Moore's to do business in Brazil on behalf of the country? Jeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee whizzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
New Unionism
Thursday, December 29, 2011 at 12:48 PMMichaels Moore's trip to Brazil - anyone here of the any deals he manahed to do?
Bunch of malcontent whingers
Thursday, December 29, 2011 at 12:29 PMExcuse the typos in the previous post. Breaking in DC's new blackberry (No, not REALLY).
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