Finance Bill

This has been a wide-ranging and extremely helpful debate on amendment 1, and we have heard from a significant number of diverse speakers on a number of different topics. A number of common themes emerged, the main one being the unworkability of the Government's clause and schedule that we are discussing. The hon. Member for Hackney, North and Stoke Newington spoke passionately and with great knowledge, making powerful points about Caribbean communities and the need to have a more environmental basis to this taxation that I had also made. The hon. Member for Taunton (Mr. Browne) also made a number of important points about the crudeness of schedules 5 and 5A, as well as a number of more general points with which Conservative Members agree. The hon. Member for Walthamstow (Mr. Gerrard) commented on the actual distance flown, which I know we discussed at the meeting of the all-party group on the Caribbean. I was interested in the Minister's response that she is looking at ways of reforming the Chicago convention. I would be grateful if she could update the House, at an appropriate time, on how those negotiations are proceeding. My hon. Friend the Member for Wellingborough (Mr. Bone) made similar points about the Caribbean and India, well illustrated with a letter from his constituent, one of the 60,000 people who have signed the petition and written to their MPs. The reasons given for rejecting the plane tax amendment are flimsy, as we have seen from the Minister's response and the Government's consultation document. We can have no confidence in the Government's reasoning, which shows a confused logic on whether this is an environmental tax or purely revenue-raising. Several hon. Members raised serious concerns about the particulars and the generality of the Government's proposals, and we would urge a rethink before it is too late. Having said that, we had a Division on this matter in Committee and we are not minded to do so again today, given that we are already two hours into today's proceedings and there are several more groups on the amendment paper. I therefore beg to ask leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.