PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
More State Aid for Under-taxed Aviation Industry
Birmingham Friends of the Earth reacted with dismay today to the announcement that state aid is being provided to subsidise the building of the runway extension at Birmingham Airport through the Regional Growth Fund.
Joe Peacock from Birmingham Friends of the Earth said “Yet again the airport is relying on huge amounts of corporate welfare to enable it to meet its growth ambitions. The airport claims to be good for the economy but puts its hands into the tax payers’ pockets time and time again. The aviation sector pays no tax on its fuel and no VAT on the sales of tickets and planes but that is not enough it needs our help to build the infrastructure from which it plies its trade.”
“What is also worrying about these bids is that they have been made in secret and as far as we are aware they are not in the public domain. We would like to see just exactly what predictions the Chamber along with their partners the airport have said in these bids and then in a number of years time we will be able to analyse them to see just exactly if they have delivered or not.”
“These decisions show the hand of the Government and with its financial support of the aviation sector how it can claim to be the Greenest Government ever is beyond us.”
Birmingham Friends of the Earth now hope that a process of due diligence on the bids will be open to full public scrutiny.
Notes to Editors
1. Birmingham Friends of the Earth campaigns on many environmental issues on a local, national and international level. https://birminghamfoe.org.uk/
2. For more information on Birmingham Friends of the Earth’s stance on Aviation issues, please visit https://birminghamfoe.org.uk/aviation
For more information contact: Joe Peacock (Birmingham Friends of the Earth)
0121 632 6909 campaigns@birminghamfoe.org.uk
