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MPs reject fuel regulator despite hauliers' protests
Page 14
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By Roanna Avison DESPITE THE rallying cries of the industry and the number of hauliers who lobbied their MPs last week, a proposed amendment to the Finance Bill to allow for a fuel duty regulator has been rejected by Parliament.
Around 200 people and a similar number of trucks descended on the capital on Wednesday 2July to protest about high fuel prices, ahead of the debate on the fuel duty regulator in the House of Commons.
The Scottish National Party proposed the amendment. Before the debate, SNP Treasury spokesman Stewart Hosie addressed hauliers outside, saying: "This amendment is asking the government to recognise it is one of the 'fat cat' organisations benefiting from the spike in oil prices and that it needs to invest some of that back into the industry.
Roger King, chief executive of the Road Haulage Association, said the RHA was there to -underline the difficulties and challenges the road haulage sector is suffering from". He added: "Fuel prices are rising every day and we need the government to understand the impact that is having on the economics of road transport."
However MPs appeared not to heed the message when they voted later in the day, leaving hauliers to wonder how they will continue to operate in such difficult conditions. However, Gordon Brown said he would look "very carefully" at whether to impose the 2p/lit duty rise due in October.