MPs, like millions of other Britons, are either preparing to set off for their summer holidays, or wishing that they could afford to do so. A new initiative, called the 'Hands off our holiday, Mr Taxman!' campaign seeks to ensure holidays remain affordable in the future - see www.handsoffourholiday.com
It has been a really tough two or three years for the UK. The economy has been in recession, and the upturn has been - as predicted by the Chancellor - bumpy and patchy. We Conservatives inherited a massive annual deficit and national debt from Labour, and we are having to take tough decisions to sort out their mess. This has not only hit economic growth: it has also hit the disposable income of ordinary families.
The one thing that families do look forward to throughout the year is their holiday in the sun. Given the unreliability of the British summer weather, that usually means going abroad. As our country has become wealthier, overseas travel has been one of the great improvements to all our lives. The UK has been a pioneer of package holidays, and we have all been able to experience the pleasures of visiting France, Spain, Italy, Greece - or even further afield.
Even that one holiday a year is now under threat. Air Passenger Duty (APD), introduced in 1994 at a mere £5 a head, has since increased dramatically in recent years. In the last four years, short haul APD has increased by 140%, and long-haul by a staggering 325%. Our APD is now eight a half times higher than the next highest EU country.
What makes this worse is that the Treasury are threatening to increase APD by double the rate of inflation next year. This is at a time when aviation is about to enter the EU Emission Trading Scheme, and when other EU countries are phasing out APD to compensate for this.
So I would urge my colleagues in the Treasury team to think again about increasing APD yet further. Our high levels of tax don't just prevent Britons from holidaying abroad - they also put tourists off coming to the UK. Moreover, we are losing valuable jobs and revenue in the UK as airlines re-route flights abroad and European airports expand to meet the demand.
So I support the 'Hands off our Holidays' campaign. Not just because it is right for my constituents to be able to afford their holiday abroad, but because taxes which are too high actually bring in less revenue. It is not even as though we are preventing emissions: we are merely displacing them.
In years gone by the UK was the world's policeman. We do not want to and cannot afford to play that role today. Equally, we cannot afford to be the world's conscience: climate change must be addressed at international level, and we cannot afford during these straitened times to take a lead without being sure that other wills follow.