Today the Shadow Chancellor has written to Philip Hammond calling
on him to make public the cost of any secret deals he has made with the DUP in
order to prop up the Government in parliament.
Please find below the text of the letter sent today by John
McDonnell to Philip Hammond:
Dear Chancellor,
I am writing to seek information on a specific element of the
deal being discussed between the Prime Minister and representatives of the
Democratic Unionist Party, which has emerged in the press.
It is reported that the DUP is seeking the ending of Air
Passenger Duty levied on passengers at airports in Northern Ireland.
HMRC estimated the total revenue from APD in Northern Ireland in
2015/16 to be in the region of £90 million.
This figure is an estimate and may need adjustment to take into
account further devolved matters.
However a revenue stream of this scale is significant and would
pay for the equivalent of, for example, an additional 2000 firefighters.
I am writing to ask whether the Government has been asked for
this measure by the DUP, has agreed to it or is considering it.
In the interest of basic openness and transparency in government
I am writing to ask that you publish any financial measures that have been
discussed with the DUP and set out the financial implications of any measures
agreed with this party.
I look forward to a prompt response given the considerable
public interest in this matter and its consequences on our public finances.
Yours sincerely,
John McDonnell MP
Shadow Chancellor
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