message from SNP to Scotland re fuel

Dear Scotland,

This evening [Wednesday March 2nd] the Scottish Parliament will debate the high cost of fuel and have the opportunity to call for fair fuel costs.

Despite being an oil rich nation, the price of petrol and diesel in Scotland is amongst the highest in Europe and that is putting severe pressure on families, businesses and hauliers the length and breadth of the country.

Right now in some of our rural communities people are paying over £1.45 for a litre of petrol and just last week, experts warned that it could cost over £100 to fill up an average size car. The price at the pump is only going to skyward unless some action is taken urgently.

Whilst the Scottish Government may not have the power to lift this burden placed on everyone in the country, only the Tory-LibDem Government at Westminster can do that and so far they have refused. In fact, the UK Government are set to make things even worse by increasing tax duty by 4p per litre this April.

We don't think that's fair. That's why we're asking the Scottish Parliament to back our motion calling for the 4p increase to be scrapped and a fuel duty regulator introduced.

What this regulator does is simple. When the price of oil increases and the UK treasury is fillings its coffers, that will be directly passed on to motorists at the pump, keeping the price of fuel at a reasonable and constant level.

Tonight in the Parliament there is an opportunity for all the parties to unite and put pressure on the UK government to take the action that people want -- for the fuel duty increase to be scrapped and a fuel duty regulator, as promised, to be delivered.

Thank you for your support,

Keith Brown MSP