Treasury Secretary Danny Alexander meets Quentin Willson
Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander has met to discuss a possible cut in fuel tax with Howard Cox, co-founder of FairFuelUK along with TV presenter Quentin Willson, who is acting as the campaign’s spokesman.
The pair presented the Minister with recently published fuel duty ‘dynamic modelling’ that supports the campaign group’s long-held contention that lower fuel duty increases jobs, GDP and economic activity.
FairFuelUK first used dynamic modelling in 2012 to reason that a 3p cut in duty would generate 70,000 jobs, increase GDP by 0.2% and would lower inflation. The model suggests that following a 1p cut in March 2011 and the continuing freeze in duty, that GDP will increase 0.5% in the longer term. The campaign’s model also shows that the increased exchequer revenues resulting from the greater economic activity will pay for around half of the initial cost of government’s action on fuel duty.
Alexander said, “I’ve met Quentin Willson and Howard Cox on a number of occasions. That campaign has made – and continues to make – a very significant impact in Parliament, in Whitehall and in the Treasury.” He added that he wished to maintain dialogue with the campaign and with industry.
TV personality Willson said, “We’ve had stable duty levels since 2011 and that’s given everyone confidence to spend more and helped lower inflation too. But let’s not stop there.”
Road transport bodies also support the proposed duty cut. Commenting, RHA Chief Executive Geoff Dunning said, “The Road Haulage Association has supported FairFuelUK since its inception three and a half years ago and this news confirms, without doubt, the fact that we made the right decision. Now, with a general election on the horizon, we shall be working even more closely with FFUK to ensure that we can get government to go one step further and make a positive cut in fuel duty.”
