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AMENDMENT OF THE LAW

I am sure that the House is aware of the work that my hon. Friend has done in that field. [Laughter.] I am sorry, that was unintentional; I was being funny without meaning to be. Everyone knows what hard work my hon. Friend has done in that area, not just for his local dairy farmers but for dairy farmers throughout the United Kingdom. A few months ago we saw the stealthy way in which the Chancellor operates, when he doubled the passenger air duty. I know that many in the House would say that that was an environmental measure. My hon. Friend the Member for Braintree (Mr. Newmark) asked about the effects of the taxes announced in the Budget, and I shall be interested to see what impact that measure has on people travelling. I take issue with the Chancellor on the way in which he introduced it. Those who had already booked and paid for their flight turned up at the airport and were told that they had to pay extra. It is one thing to announce a measure in advance so that everybody knows what taxation they will pay. It is quite another thing when people think they have bought and paid for their flight and then get clobbered with another duty at the airport. That is not fair.