A committee of MPs has said that air passengers should pay a green tax on flights to compensate for environmental damage.

The environmental audit committee also attacked the government over its plans to build new runways, saying that ministers have exaggerated the benefits of expanding airports and underestimated the environmental effects.

John Horam, the committee's Conservative chairman when the report was agreed, said: "There is enough potential in existing airports to meet future demand - if we make rather more realistic assumptions than the DfT has done.

"We cannot get away from the fact that airlines pay no tax on aviation fuel - whereas 80 per cent of the price motorists pay goes to the exchequer."