Ensuring progress

This Statement has noted the aviation sector’s primary responsibility for improving international connectivity and reducing emissions. In line with our legal commitments on net zero, the Scottish Government’s actions must encourage and complement these efforts while maintaining clear lines of responsibility and accountability.

We need to ensure that our actions actually help to drive significant change. Therefore, Ministers will meet regularly with aviation stakeholders to discuss the progress being made on reducing emissions and whether the various decarbonisation strategies that apply in Scotland, including the actions in this Aviation Statement, are working effectively together or whether further action is required. We also want to ensure that there is a just transition to net zero.

Discussions will be particularly helpful in informing possible Scottish Government actions that would require significant public investment: we could not, for example, offer public funding for the airport infrastructure required for hydrogen/electric aircraft without understanding how this is being planned for and funded by the sector itself. In short, the Aviation Statement will be a living document that reflects significant new developments.

Finally, we highlight the specific issue of Air Departure Tax (ADT), which is the Scottish Government’s intended replacement for UK Air Passenger Duty (APD) and potentially one of the main tools available to improve route development and achieve emission reductions. The Scottish Government continues to explore all options to implement ADT in a way that protects Highlands and Islands connectivity and complies with the UK Government’s subsidy control regime. Once a solution to the Highland and Islands exemption has been identified, we will review the rates and bands of ADT prior to the implementation of the tax, to ensure they are aligned with our climate ambitions. UK APD will continue to apply in Scotland until ADT is implemented.