Latest Press Releases
| SNP FORCE DEBATE ON FUEL PRICES |
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| Thursday, 03 February 2011 00:00 |
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MORAY MP SAYS TORIES AND LIB DEMS DITHERING ON FUEL The SNP and Plaid Cymru have called a House of Commons debate on Government action to tackle rising fuel prices. The parties, who cooperate in a group at Westminster, will use their annual Opposition Day debate to call on the Conservative-led coalition government to fulfil its pre-election pledge to establish a fuel duty regulator. Local Moray MP Angus Robertson says this is an important opportunity ahead of the budget to make the Chancellor understand the concerns of people in areas like Moray who are being hit hard by soaring fuel costs. Moray SNP MSP Richard Lochhead has described the situation as a ‘national scandal’ and the price of fuel as being ‘horrendous’. The half-day debate will take place on the afternoon of Monday 7th February 2011 and will be the only opportunity for MPs to discuss fuel prices ahead of the Budget in March and the planned fuel duty increase in April. Speaking ahead of the debate, Moray SNP MP Angus Robertson said: " This may be the only opportunity MPs will have to debate fuel prices ahead of the Budget in March and the fuel duty increase in April, and so it is crucial that we persuade the Tory-led government to honour its pre-election pledge and establish a fuel duty regulator. " People in Moray are crying out for action to bring down fuel prices, and this debate, put forward jointly by the SNP and Plaid Cymru, will be a focus for that. “ Westminster’s inaction has made this an enormous issue ahead of the Scottish Parliament elections in May. It’s a huge issue on the doorstep and the forecourts and is a key illustration of why we need to build up Scotland’s Parliament, and equip it with the full powers of financial responsibility. “ The SNP has consistently put forward proposals for a Fuel Duty Regulator – which the Tories supported before the election – and which would bring duty down when oil prices go up. Cutting fuel by 10p per litre in Scotland would only cost about half of the estimated £1 billion in extra revenue the Treasury is set to rake in as a result of rising oil prices.” Moray’s MSP Richard Lochhead said: “ It’s a national scandal that in Europe’s oil-richest country, Scots are paying among the highest fuel prices. We recognised this problem long ago – we pushed for it in Budgets in 2005 and 2008 with widespread support from people outside Parliament. “ Labour stubbornly ignored the problems of rising fuel prices while the Conservatives scared of supporting our idea decided to steal it, watered it down and re-branded it as their own. “ The cost of filling a family car like a Mondeo is now in excess of 70 pounds, which is a horrendous price. “ The Tory-led Government’s VAT increase and fuel duty hike have pushed the price of a litre up by at least 3.5p in the last month alone. “ Businesses and especially families in Moray where a car is a necessity not a luxury are those who are facing the pain because of these choices.” |
