Businesses would like 2p fuel duty scrapped altogether

Responding to the Chancellor's decision to postpone autumn's planned 2p increase in fuel duty, David Frost, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce, said:

"I'm pleased that the Chancellor has listened to the concerns of the British Chambers of Commerce and the population at large in the short-term. The 2p fuel duty increases no longer serve their original purpose. The high price of fuel is bringing down demand and the revenue expected from the tax hikes has already been generated in the form of a multi-million pound windfall.

"Businesses are being pushed to the absolute edge by the painfully high price of petrol at the pump, with many firms left with no choice but to pass on extra costs to the hard up consumer.

"Clearly, in the current economic environment this is an unacceptable situation. Postponing autumn's 2p hike is a step in the right direction, but businesses would like to see this needless tax scrapped altogether."

Ends

Media Contacts:

Fiona Cunningham
Tel: 020 7654 5812
Email: f.cunningham@britishchambers.org.uk

OR

Sam Turvey
Tel: 020 7654 5813
Email: s.turvey@britishchambers.org.uk

Notes to Editors:

The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) is the National Voice of Local Business.
The BCC sits at the heart of a powerful nationwide network of Accredited Chambers of Commerce serving business across the UK, which employ over five million people.