FairFuelUK APPG MPs Reception & No 10 Petition

HOUSE OF COMMONS LONDON SW1A 0AA You will appreciate that a 12 pence per litre increase in fuel duty will hit drivers hard and have adverse impacts on the wider economy. With VAT that means 14.4p more. For an average family car driver, this needless tax hike on an essential resource will mean, they will have to fork out an extra £8 per fill up, white van man £20 and a medium sized truck £55 at the forecourt. It would also contradict Government efforts to halve inflation and grow the economy. Research from Cebr has shown that such a steep increase in fuel duty could put 31,000 jobs at risk, have a 1% impact on GDP and add 2.3% to inflation. Moreover, those on the lowest incomes who pay a larger proportion of their incomes on fuel, will be hit hard, van drivers could face £1,000 higher costs, and hauliers could end up forking out £7,000 more per HGV. Those costs will be passed on to consumers and may also force some hauliers out of business. Furthermore, even with over decade of our much welcomed fuel duty freezes and cuts, UK drivers still remain amongst one of the most taxed motorists in the world and are paying more in taxes than some of our competitors. This is particularly pertinent in respect to the commercial heartbeat of any economy, diesel. For example, Germany’s duty is 8p per litre lower, and Spain and Ireland are 20p less than here in the UK. It’s time the cost of logistics that impacts so acutely on inflation is reduced. Cutting Fuel duty would definitely stimulate the economy, but freezing it at current levels is the least we should do. At a time when the economy continues to face challenges, the HGV and logistics sector has difficulties with recruitment and retention, and households and businesses are having budgets squeezed, it would be wrong for fuel duty to rise. With such strong and compelling evidence presented in support of fuel duties being kept frozen at the current 52.95 pence per litre rate or reduced, we urge you to support the nation’s motorists, households and businesses by committing to this in the forthcoming Spring Budget and look at ways to reduce the tax burden on motorists. It will show the public across the country that this Conservative Government is standing by them and delivering for them in these difficult times and that we are staying true to our values by keeping taxes down. We look forward to your reply and would be glad to meet with you to discuss this further. Yours ever, Rt Hon Priti Patel MP Craig Mackinlay MP Jonathan Gullis MP Rt Hon Brandon Lewis MP Rt Hon Sammy Wilson MP Sarah Atherton MP Louie French MP Giles Watling MP Rt Hon Mark Francois MP Laurence Robertson MP Gordon Henderson MP Caroline Ansell MP Bob Blackman MP Henry Smith MP Heather Wheeler MP Andrea Jenkyns MP James Grundy MP Jason McCartney MP Scott Benton MP Wendy Morton MP Kelly Tolhurst MP Greg Smith MP Philip Davies MP Ben Everitt MP Howard Cox, representing 1.7m FairFuelUK supporters

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