By Steve Bargeton, political editor

The UK Government was urged yesterday to plough back £1 billion of air passenger tax back into the Scottish economy.

The SNP said Scottish travellers were being “ripped off” because air passenger duty was going straight to the Chancellor.

Kenny MacAskill, the party’s transport spokes-man, estimated that the Treasury will get at least £1 billion from Scots passengers in the 10 years to 2010.

Air passenger duty was introduced in the early 1990s and accounts for around £10 of ticket prices.

“Air passenger duty is here to stay and if it is to remain, then sums that are generated here in Scotland should be retained in Scotland,” he said.

“This is a UK rip-off of £1 billion that we pay out and yet get very little back.

“People don’t like paying tax, but if they could see the fruits of that tax blossoming in Scotland then I don’t think they would begrudge it.

“The Chancellor is laughing all the way to the bank, but the question is ‘what do we get in return?’.”

Mr MacAskill published a report in Edinburgh yesterday detailing the rise in passenger numbers at Scotland’s five main airports.

It says that the country’s share of air passenger duty between 1999 and 2010 would be £935 million.

Mr MacAskill said the £700 million cost of rail links to Glasgow and Edinburgh airports could be met by direct UK Government funding.

He also called for sub- sidies for the publicly-owned Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd to be “substantially” increased.

“This £1 billion has been paid by Scottish passengers and should be used for Scottish purposes,” he said.

“It’s time the rip-off stopped and the funding started for Scottish aviation.”