Aviation White Paper adopts long standing Liberal Democrat policy - Thurso

12.00.00am GMT Tue 16th Dec 2003

The Aviation White Paper launched today has seen the Government adopt several long-standing Liberal Democrat policies on the future of air travel in the UK. A motion at The Liberal Democrat Party Conference in 2002 called for the following measures that appear in today's white paper.

Introducing the principle of 'polluter pays' to the aviation industry.

Abandon 'predict and provide' policy in airport development.

Develop regional international airports.

Restrictions on the expansion of night flights.

Reject proposals for entirely new airports.

Increase landing charges at major airports such as Gatwick and Heathrow.

Responding to the White Paper, John Thurso MP, Liberal Democrat Shadow Transport Secretary, said:

"The Government have finally adopted the Liberal Democrat approach to the future of the aviation industry and accepted our long term policies of ending 'predict and provide' and introducing the 'polluter pays' concept to the aviation industry. These are long standing Liberal Democrat policies and their adoption by Government comes not a moment too soon.

"However the Government have completely fudged the details of how these policies will be introduced. There is a clear gap between the acceptance of our position on aviation and their actual implementation by a Government discredited on transport and environmental policy."