The SNP have long campaigned for fairer and more transparent taxation of fuel. Earlier this year in advance of the Budget, we joined with FairFuelUK to oppose any hike in fuel duty at a time when the pockets of families, particularly those in rural communities that depend on a car, are squeezed. I am pleased that my SNP colleagues and I were successful in pressuring the Chancellor to keep fuel duty frozen on that occasion.
In this year’s Finance Bill, my SNP colleague Roger Mullin MP tabled an amendment that would have established a fuel duty regulator – a mechanism that would have stabilised fuel prices and made increases or decreases in the fuel price fully transparent. I am disappointed that the Tory UK Government did not take the opportunity to support our amendment.
Nevertheless, my SNP colleagues and I remain committed to more transparent taxation of fuel, and I welcome the constructive suggestions put forward by FairFuelUK. I recognise that fuel duty can be a heavy cost on businesses of all sizes, aswell as household budgets and I hope that this will be taken into account by the Chancellor, whilst balancing the need to provide incentives for motorists to move to cleaner fuels and transport options.