The SNP has proposed an amendment to George Osbourne’s Budget, calling for a planned 3p p/l rise in duty to be dropped and the introduction of a fuel duty regulator.
The SNP said the level of duty could be held down when fuel prices rise and compensated for by the increased VAT revenue on fuel.
SNP MP Angus MacNeil suggested that if Westminster fails to act on the proposal, powers should be passed to the Scottish Parliament. He said: “If Scotland had control of fuel duty, the SNP government would introduce a fuel duty regulator to lower prices now.”
SNP Treasury spokesman Stewart Hosie said: “We urgently need not just a cut in duty, but the a regulator to permanently bring prices under control.
“With much of the pump price made up of tax, the Treasury must stop the highway robbery, as fuel prices prevent economic recovery.
“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.”
