Fuel Prices

Part of Royal Assent – in the House of Commons at 4:58 pm on 15 November 2011.

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Photo of Michael McCann Michael McCann Labour, East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow 4:58, 15 November 2011

I, too, welcome this debate, which gives Members the opportunity to discuss an issue that is close to our constituents’ pockets. Like many others, my constituency is a mixture of the urban and the rural, and everyone is feeling the pressure at the pumps. Today’s motion was necessary to create the opportunity for this debate, but sadly it omits some crucial aspects. I am disappointed that the amendment in the name of my hon. Friend Mr Watts was not selected, because it would have filled the debate with all the pertinent issues that we need to discuss.

During the speech by Robert Halfon, his bipartisan mask slipped as he made certain political points about the motion. My constituents want to know how the Government plan to tackle the high cost of fuel now. They also want to hear the longer-term plan to enable the country to become less dependent on petrol and diesel. The hon. Gentleman purports to be a champion of the consumer’s cause, but although this debate partly covers the issue, important facts have been left out and the bigger story remains untold.

John Peel said:

“I never make stupid mistakes. Only very, very clever ones.”

I wonder whether the hon. Gentleman has indulged in John Peel’s rhetoric in the motion. It contains faint praise for the Government’s austerity programme, yet that programme is a significant part of the problem, rather than part of the solution, because it goes too far and too fast. Also, there is no mention whatever of the whopping 20p a gallon on the price of fuel following the latest VAT rise.