The Freight Transport Association has welcomed the suggestion that chancellor George Osborne might be about to cancel the 3ppl increase in fuel duty planned for New Year’s Day in the wake of a Parliamentary debate earlier this week.
James Hookham, managing director of policy and communications, said: ”We have been able to get this issue to the heart of the political debate in Westminster and ensure the weight of public and business opinion is brought to bear on decisions about future tax rates. We hope and expect that George Osborne will not only cancel the increase, but will abandon any further rises before the next election, as it is clear that a precedent has been set and that similar debates and votes will take place ahead of all future planned increases. The Chancellor may as well give up on fuel duty increases as a bad job.”
The indication that the Treasury may defer the 3 pence per litre increase follows talks initiated by the FTA-backed FairFuelUK Campaign, when research was presented illustrating the impact of fuel duty on UK growth and the economy.
