The Scottish Government has been called on to set out how it will use new powers over Air Passenger Duty (APD).

The Smith Commission, set up to look at further devolution after September's independence referendum, recommended that control over the tax be passed to Holyrood when it reported last week.

Conservative energy spokesman Murdo Fraser MSP used a debate on tourism at the Scottish Parliament to urge an early announcement on APD.

The SNP administration said in its White Paper on Scottish independence it would reduce the duty by 50% with a view to its eventual abolition.

The paper referenced a study by York Aviation estimating APD would cost Scotland more than £200 million a year in lost tourism spend by 2016.

Mr Fraser said: "We believe that the rate of APD is holding back the growth of tourism in Scotland.

"We on this side of the chamber are quite clear that APD should be reduced or eliminated as quickly as possible.

"Today I'm calling on the Scottish Government to set out their plans for APD.

"I appreciate it has not been long since the Smith Commission report but I do think we need to know as soon as possible, people in the industry need to know as soon as possible, what exactly the Government is proposing and what the timetable for this will be."

He added: "Now it is in the Scottish Government's gift, it is up to the Scottish Government to act and I hope they will live up to the rhetoric of the previous years."

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon previously told a press briefing at Holyrood: "We said in the White Paper we would want to start by halving it and move towards scrapping it, and that remains our position.

"We want to see APD go because we think that is in the best interests of growing traffic at our airports."