15/07/2008

High fuel prices are good, says Cabinet minister

Environment Secretary Hilary Benn has welcomed rising fuel prices saying they are an incentive for drivers to make fewer car journeys.

He also launched a robust defence of road tax rises for more than nine million cars, insisting it was right that they should also apply to second-hand vehicles.

Downing Street is likely to be dismayed by Mr Benn’s remarks as the Prime Minister is so concerned about voter unrest over high fuel prices that October’s planned 2p a litre rise in fuel duty could be scrapped.

In addition, the Prime Minister is also under concerted pressure to rethink action over road tax with rises due to be introduced in two phases in April 2009 and 2010.

But, Mr Benn told the BBC’s ‘Politics Show’ that higher fuel prices were a fact of life that motorists had to get used to.

He added: “I think we’re seeing people thinking more carefully about the journeys that they make, where they can do so.”

Referring to VED rises, he said: “If we’re going to tackle climate change, there are some hard choices and we want to encourage all of us to choose less polluting vehicles.

“As three out of every four cars sold in the country are second-hand cars, it’s important you have a change that also applies to the second-hand market.”

(Daily Mail/(Daily Telegraph)

back