Autumn Statement: MP to campaign for fuel duty rebate (From York Press)

Autumn Statement: MP to campaign for fuel duty rebate

11:20am Wednesday 5th December 2012 in News By Julie Hayes, Business editor

AS businesses wait to hear the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s plans for tax and spending, a North Yorkshire MP has vowed to campaign for lower fuel prices.

Visit yorkpress.co.uk/business and follow @yorkbusiness on Twitter for updates and local comment on the Autumn Statement today from 12.30pm.

Anne McIntosh, MP for Thirsk, Malton and Filey, has said she would continue to campaign for a fuel duty rebate for parts of her constituency.

She said: "At present the main concerns for those living in the countryside, the most rural and isolated parts of Ryedale and Hambleton, is the cost of fuel, household heating fuel and vehicle fuel.

"I shall be relaunching with renewed vigour, my campaign for a pilot fuel duty rebate for specific parts of Ryedale and Hambleton, which have the highest fuel prices in the country, particularly for diesel. The fact that it now costs over £70 to refuel a vehicle, with the need for 4x4 vehicles in the extreme conditions of North Yorkshire, emphasises how disadvantaged the private motorist is in rural constituencies like Thirsk, Malton and Filey."

Miss McIntosh said the high price of fuel will take money out of public sector budgets, and as a result impact on the service provided by school buses, police, ambulances and other public services.

She added: "In terms of economic growth, I want rural business in Thirsk, Malton and Filey to be able to compete fairly with those in urban areas of Yorkshire and the Humber region, and elsewhere in the UK. That is why fair fuel pricing is so vitally important for economic growth in rural areas.

"I believe we have a strong case to make both to the Chancellor and to the EU Commission for a rural fuel duty rebate for specific parts of Ryedale and Hambleton hit by the highest fuel prices in the country. What is good for Scotland should be good for Yorkshire and England too."

Contact Julie Hayes, business editor, on 01904 567144 or julie.hayes@thepress.co.uk to have your say on today's announcements.