ABTA revealed today the summer holiday plans of many MPs and Peers as millions of families head off overseas and to many beautiful areas of the UK as we start the school summer holidays. The first annual ABTA Parliamentary Holiday Survey finds MPs more likely to holiday abroad this summer than their colleagues in the House of Lords. For both groups the Mediterranean is number one for foreign holidays and Scotland rules for domestic holidays.

56% of the MPs who responded said that they would be taking their summer holiday abroad compared with 50% of peers, reflecting the greater tendency of younger generations to head off overseas and that many peers may also be taking the opportunity to holiday with friends and family in the UK. 75% of MPs will be visiting short haul destinations and 25% jetting off further afield on long haul flights.

Our political representatives are a well travelled bunch with 91% of peers and 57% of MPs taking two or more holidays a year, though MPs are slightly below the national average. Peers appear to beat their colleagues in the House of Commons in caring for the environment with 77% of them claiming to do what they could to help protect the environment while on holiday compared with 67% of MPs.

John McEwan ABTA Chairman said: “Our first ABTA Parliamentary Holiday survey clearly shows that a summer break and other holidays throughout the year, are as important for our political representatives as for the rest of us. ABTA is calling on Government to recognise this importance and cancel the planned drastic increase in Air Passenger Duty this November which will see a family of four paying £360 in tax for a flight to Florida at a time when family budgets are already under severe pressure”

When asked how many holidays they would be taking this year, MPs and Peers replied; take no holiday: MPs 13% Peers 0%; take only one holiday: MPs 30% Peers 9%; take two holidays: MPs 50% Peers 41%; take three or more holidays: MPs 7% Peers 50%.