Clause 15
Finance Bill
3:45 pm
David Gauke (Shadow Minister, Treasury; South West Hertfordshire, Conservative)
Fuel duty was debated at some length on the Floor of the House, and I have no intention of running through the whole argument again. However, I should like once again to put on record our concern at how the Government address it. Sometimes, fuel duty announcements are postponed and postponed again, and it is then unexpectedly increased. We have seen a great deal of evidence of that in the past couple of years.
Clearly, the Government feel that they have the political ability when oil prices are lower to raise fuel duty, but it is difficult for them to do so when oil prices are higher.