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ALLAN WRITES CROSS-PARTY LETTER TO CHANCELLOR SEEKING CHEAPER FUEL |
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09/06/2010 |
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Western Isles SNP MSP, Alasdair Allan, has today written to Chancellor George Osbourne, in a joint letter with the MSPs from Orkney and Shetland, seeking cheaper fuel for Scotland's islands. Dr Allan asked for further details of the proposals contained in the Coalition Partnership Agreement between the Lib-dems and Conservatives, which commits the new UK Government to investigate measures to help with fuel costs in rural areas. Alasdair Allan commented: “As the MSP for the Western Isles I was interested to see what there is in the Coalition Partnership Agreement about fuel prices. But words have to be matched by actions. I will be very interested to see where any pilot schemes on fuel price reduction are to be, and both Angus MacNeil MP and I have now pressed this point with the Chancellor. “In the Western Isles, fuel costs are extreme, and there is virtually no public transport alternative. We have, for years, suffered from having to pay significantly higher prices at the pumps for petrol and diesel than those living in or close to urban parts of Scotland. This imposes a serious burden which leads to the inevitable suffering of Individuals and businesses. “Along with other Island MSP colleagues I have therefore requested that the Scottish islands are used to pilot any measures to reduce fuel costs. “Given that the Western Isles has amongst the highest fuel prices in the world, the case for fuel price reduction measures being piloted here is very strong. I have urged the Chancellor to respond positively to this request. I would hope that he will do so following the continued pressure on this issue from both myself and Angus MacNeil over the past several years.”
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