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PM must "stop dithering and start delivering" action on fuel prices

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Friday, 23 March 2012 15:54
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By a Newsnet reporter

Commenting as the average price of petrol broke through the 140p a litre barrier today (Friday), with diesel at a new record of 146.72p, SNP Westminster Transport spokesperson Angus MacNeil MP warned that soaring fuel prices were hindering economic recovery and called for Chancellor George Osborne to honour his pre-election promise to introduce a Fuel Duty Stabiliser to deliver a permanent stabilisation measure which would bring prices under control.

According to a report published on Friday by industry analysts Experian Catalist, the average price of a litre of unleaded petrol hit 140.20 pence.  The price hike has been driven by higher oil prices for crude oil, caused by concerns about the situation in Iran, and the weakness of sterling against the US dollar.  Crude oil prices have risen 12% since January.  Fuel prices in the UK are amongst the highest in Europe.

Motorists will be faced with a further rise of 3p per litre in August, when the rise in fuel duty announced by the Chancellor in Wednesday’s budget speech come into effect.  

Speaking to the Guardian newspaper, the RAC’s technical director, David Bizley, said: “£1.40 a litre is a massive price for people to have to pay and there is no end in sight to rising prices.  The way things are going the planned duty rise will see average petrol prices hit the £1.50 a litre mark – forcing more and more people who need their cars off the road.”

SNP Transport spokesperson Mr MacNeil said:

“David Cameron needs to stop dithering and start delivering action to bring soaring fuel prices down.  His silence at the Tories conference in Troon, on one of the most urgent issues facing households and businesses, underlines how out of touch his party is with people in Scotland.

“It’s a national scandal that, in an oil rich country like Scotland, we are paying the highest fuel prices in Europe.  With the bulk of the pump price made up of tax, the Treasury must stop this highway robbery because soaring fuel prices are hindering economic recovery – we need a permanent stabilisation measure to bring prices under control.

“In July 2008, the Tories promised a ‘Fair Fuel Stabiliser’, describing it as a ‘common sense plan’.  As well as being common sense, it is unanswerable and fair for Scotland, given that we pay among the highest fuel prices in Europe even as Scottish oil revenues surge into the UK Exchequer.

“With record North Sea oil and gas revenues flowing to the Treasury, we need to see some of that money used to bring fuel prices down – and to keep them stable – through a fuel duty regulator.

“The Tories and Lib Dems promised action before the election.  They have the money – Scotland’s oil money – and the powers to deliver.

“If Westminster will not act, the powers should be passed to the Scottish Parliament so that it can. If Scotland had control of fuel duty, the SNP government would introduce a fuel duty regulator to lower prices now.”

 

Comments  

 
# UpSpake 2012-03-24 08:08
Some slight innacuracies in this article. Price rises cannot be attirbuted solely to the fluctuations of the Dollar Pound rate. I watch it daily as I do the spot price of Brent Crude. I so this due to the total absence of any reporting of these statistics from the MSM and the broadcast media.
I also check the daily price of fuel/petrol in the US, where I used to live. Web-site like Gasbuddy.com can give you a flavor of pump prices there. It must also be remembered that the pump price also includes your road tax (revolutionary huh ?) so that the cost shown is vastly less than we pay in oil producing Scotland.
What we pay is an outrage and it is not true to say we have the highest prices in Europe. We have about the highest prices in the World !.
If and when Israel bombs Iran and if such an action closes the Strait on Homuz then expect oil prices to quadruple.
Where would rural Scotland be then ?. Would we be best to simply hook up our electric cars to a wind-turbine and hope for the best ?.
 
 
# Gwendog 2012-03-24 23:08
You may be interested in this article if you haven’t already caught it. These are the same people who suggested 134USD on Brent as viable last Nov.
Long story short, we’re getting screwed.
proactiveinvestors.co.uk/…/…
 
 
# balgayboy 2012-03-24 09:14
No chance of the fuel duty being reduced by westminister, not now nor the near future. Only when the Scottish people vote for Independence will there be a reduction in the duty and brought down to a sensible amount by the incumbent Independent Scottish Government. Westminister will milk this cash cow in full knowledge that the taps will be shut off very soon..like post 2014.
 
 
# UpSpake 2012-03-24 09:15
By way of follow up, have just checked out Gasbuddy for the State of New Jersey which has many refineries and where prices are at their lowest in continental US. The city of Trenton has gas/petrol at $3.56 a US Gallon which is roughly 7/8ths of an Imperial Gallon.
That, with Road Tax and all Federal/State and Local taxes included is 0.5744 a UK Litre.
Just wanted to make your day !
 
 
# UpSpake 2012-03-24 09:16
Too early in the morning. No pound sign on my US laptop that’s 57.44 pence per litre.
 
 
# balgayboy 2012-03-24 09:40
UpSake..Good stuff, this information needs to circulated throughout Scotland to let the people see the price comparisons and how they are being robbed blind. I work in country’s that have no oil & gas fields but the cost of their fuel is still considerably lower than the UK.
 
 
# edinburgh quine 2012-03-24 09:45
What I would like to know is, does vat get charged on the government’s tax element or only on the fuel price?
 
 
# Holebender 2012-03-24 10:38
VAT is charged on top of the fuel duty so when the duty goes up 3p in August the price will go up 3.6p because of the 20% VAT which will be charged on that 3p duty.
 
 
# edinburgh quine 2012-03-24 11:02
So a tax on tax. Cute
 
 
# balgayboy 2012-03-24 10:01
Hopefully the SNP will do the maths and project an Independent Scotland’s fuel duty percentage once Scotland rid’s itself of Trident, illegal Invasions and London luxuries. Got to be a referendum YES. Roll on 2014.
 
 
# UpSpake 2012-03-24 10:52
Charging VAT on top of a tax/duty should be made criminal !.
 
 
# GuidedByPollard 2012-03-24 20:36
I seem to recall the ‘unpolitically motivated’ Countryside Alliance being constantly up in arms and staging blockades of fuel depots over the price of fuel a few years back…strange that they’re quiet these days – Oh wait! It’s a Tory government that’s in power now!
 
 
# Gwendog 2012-03-25 00:43
Oddly, there is a problem with the level of theft Westminster employs on fuel prices.

If a Scottish Govt reduced prices to simply ridiculous EU standard levels, folks would day trip from south of the border to fill up.
If a Scottish Govt reduced prices to honest levels, folks from the EU would visit as we’d be the new Greece.

I have some trouble imagining a Govt doing such as, with their nonsense green agenda, the SNP seem intent on governing for government sake rather the for the people. Already we see an Edinburgh centric bias appearing to the detriment of the rest of the country.

Personally, I wish for independence but governance for the people rather than for silly agenda’s.
 
 
# rhymer 2012-03-26 11:59
Quoting Gwendog:
Oddly, there is a problem with the level of theft Westminster employs on fuel prices. If a Scottish Govt reduced prices to simply ridiculous EU standard levels, folks would day trip from south of the border to fill up. If a Scottish Govt reduced prices to honest levels, folks from the EU would visit as we’d be the new Greece. I have some trouble imagining a Govt doing such as, with their nonsense green agenda, the SNP seem intent on governing for government sake rather the for the people. Already we see an Edinburgh centric bias appearing to the detriment of the rest of the country. Personally, I wish for independence but governance for the people rather than for silly agenda’s.


I agree with some of the first part of your comment but disagree with the Edinburgh-centric bias idea. Too many projects outside of the Edinburgh area make your comment not true.
Also, you would have to live very close to the border to make it worthwhile to drive up to Scotland to fill your car’s petrol tank.
However, It might help increase tourism as it would then be cheaper to drive iaround while on holiday in Scotland that England, NI, or Wales.
 
 
# call me dave 2012-03-26 12:34
The army being trained in the delivery and safe procedures for filling and emptying the tankers in depots and garages.

Is there a conflict expected.
I suppose Westminster’s powers will automatically become the law in Scotland & Wales in such an event.
 
 
# Leswil 2012-03-25 14:46
Truth is they do not want to reduce prices, they are happy to “dither” if you want to call it that. My view is that it is a mugging of all peoples across the Islands, to squeeze as much tax as the can get out of us all.
Something has to pay for all the new projects in the South of England!
They will reduce only if pressure is brought on them to do so, unfortunately there is no concerted efforts to do so, YET!!
 

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