Moray MP's Budget Response
Posted on Thursday, March 22 2007
"Budget for Middle England, not rural Scotland" - RobertsonMoray Scottish National Party MP Angus Robertson has responded to Labour's budget saying it is a budget for "Middle England, not rural Scotland".The SNP MP has expressed concern about the measures being put in place while ignoring the key issues affecting his constituents. Mr Robertson expressed particular concern about increases in tax on 4x4 vehicles which the Chancellor claimed were to discourage people from using vehicles that were heavy on fuel use, however in rural areas like Moray a large percentage of these vehicles are for essential rural use on farms, in forests and in areas where adverse weather could be a significant issue. On Spirit Duty Mr Robertson welcomed a further freeze but noted that there was still a way to go before the whisky industry had a level playing field.There was also concern that while an increase in Tax Credits is welcome, the fundamental problems of the administration of the Tax Credit system have not yet been resolved leaving many constituents in a precarious financial position. The SNP's Mr Robertson said:"This year's budget has been all about Gordon Brown trying to become Prime Minister and not about the real problems affecting people. "Cutting Income Tax will always grab the headlines but what the Chancellor gives with one hand he has taken with the other by removing the 10% tax band. "Since being elected in 2001 I have had very few complaints about Income Tax, however constituents are really suffering under the massive increases in Council Tax since Labour came into power. I also have a steady stream of cases involving Tax Credit and Child Support Agency issues and throwing money at the Tax Credit system does not resolve problems like overpayments, late payments and no payments at all."These are the issues affecting the lives of Moray folk and I am certain they will see through the Chancellor's flannel of a tax cut that is more than a year away. "On the issue of 'green taxes', such as additional tax on 4x4 use, Labour have taken no account whatsoever of essential users in rural areas like Moray. While it is desirable to get as many people as possible using fuel efficient vehicles penalising those who have no choice is not helping the environment. In the area of transport the problem is the cost and availability of public transport in rural areas and I saw no significant proposals to deal with this issue. "It would also be far better if the Chancellor had invested money in supporting sustainable energy schemes such as wave and tidal power and carbon capture technology rather than grabbing yet more money from struggling rural economies. "It's time that Scotland had the power to make economic decisions that will benefit Scotland rather than hoping for Westminster decisions that never come."Ends.
MORAY MP WELCOMES WHISKY DUTY FREEZE
Posted on Wednesday, March 21 2007
The Vice Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Scotch Whisky Industry Group Angus Robertson MP has welcomed the continuing freeze on whisky duty. The freeze announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the budget statement follows Treasury discussions with the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) and the All Party Group. Moray SNP MP Angus Robertson, whose constituency contains more than half of all of Scotland's Malt whisky distilleries, met with Economic Secretary to the Treasury John Healy MP where he pressed for the Treasury freeze in spirits duty saying that this would "support industry investment and competitiveness".Speaking after the budget announcement Angus Robertson MP said:"The whisky sector is one of Scotland's key industries both in export, earnings and employment terms, and the Treasury has recognised the need for a duty freeze which I welcome."Recent statistics have shown that international demand for Scotch whisky is growing, however the UK market is very fragile and a further freeze in spirits duty will support industry investment and competitiveness."This is at a time when distillers face rising energy and raw material costs and another narrowing of the duty differential with other alcoholic drinks is a welcome further step towards a fairer alcohol duty regime."The average price of spirits remains at or above the revenue maximising point; and any rise in spirits duty would have been counterproductive from a revenue perspective.ENDS
|