McMillan Comments on Fuel Duty Rise

Stuart McMillan MSP, (SNP) has commented on today’s (Friday) fuel duty rise which puts another 1p on the cost of a litre of petrol and diesel.

Mr McMillan said;

"This increase will have a crippling effect on businesses and households and threatens the wider economic recovery. Instead of stopping Labour’s highway robbery, the Con/Dem coalition is pushing up the cost of living for East Dunbartonshire households.

"It’s a national scandal that, in an oil rich country like Scotland, we are paying the highest fuel prices in Europe. The Treasury cannot justify hammering hard pressed motorists and businesses. This duty increase is bad enough, but will be compounded with the VAT increase in January.

"What Ministers in London forget is that for people in rural areas, a car is a necessity and not a luxury. Pushing up fuel prices is absolutely the wrong thing to do as we emerge from recession and these increases will actually hinder economic recovery.

"A fair fuel regulator is the only way to ensure that Scotland’s essential industries and households are not continually hit by rising prices."Scottish motorists and our hard pressed haulage industry need immediate action to bring down fuel costs and the coalition government will be held to their word."

McMillan Condemns Fuel Duty Hike

Stuart McMillan MSP, (SNP) has condemned Chancellor, Alistair Darling’s decision to continue with the 3p tax hike in fuel duty.

In this week’s budget he announced a 1p increase from April 1st, another 1p in October and a further 1p on 1st of January 2011. The fuel duty escalator means that in addition fuel prices will be 7p higher than in March 2009.

Mr. McMillan said;

"This is absurd politicking from the Labour Chancellor, he has tried to disguise the hike by staggering the increase, but between now and next year fuel duty will still increase by 3p.

"Members of the public in Inverclyde are not that gullible, they will know the price of a Labour government every time they go to a fuel pump.

"The rise will infuriate haulers as this will have a huge impact on transport costs which could in turn increase the prices we pay in the shops.

"The SNP have been long standing champions of a fuel duty regulator and I am disappointed we are still not seeing this delivered in Westminster.

"I have been contacted by constituents from throughout the West of Scotland who are angry with the discrepancies in fuel prices between different areas of Scotland. This serves to highlight the need and support for a fuel duty regulator.

"At this time we need policies in a budget that supports families and businesses in Inverclyde not punishing them".