Support our Nation today - please donate here
News

Ceredigion MP calls for more support for rural key workers as fuel prices rocket

25 May 2022 2 minute read
Plaid Cymru MP Ben Lake: UK Parliament

Prime Minister Boris Johnson praised as “excellent” the question of a west Wales MP who called for more support for rural carers struggling with rocketing fuel costs.

Ceredigion MP Ben Lake called at Prime Minister’s Questions for the Rural Fuel Duty Relief scheme to be extended to Wales in order to help workers in rural areas.

The scheme allows retailers to claim duty relief on unleaded petrol and diesel, and pass on the savings to customers. It currently covers 17 areas of England and Scotland, including parts of the Highlands, Argyll and Bute, Northumberland, Cumbria, Devon and North Yorkshire.

However, no areas of Wales are currently eligible for the scheme.

“Rising fuel costs are causing serious problems for workers in car-dependent rural areas such as Ceredigion, and for carers and district nurses the situation has reached a crisis point,” Ben Lak said.

“One carer from Ceredigion often has to travel 29 miles just to reach her first service user of the day and travels about 1,700 miles each month.

“Will the Prime Minister therefore consider extending the rural fuel duty relief scheme to areas such as Ceredigion to help my constituent and many like her to continue their invaluable work?”

Boris Johnson replied to thanked Ben Lake for his “excellent question”.

“Rural fuel duty relief is there to compensate motorists by helping retailers in some more remote rural areas where pump prices can be significantly higher,” he said.

“It currently operates on a geographical basis, but I am happy to ensure that he gets a meeting with the relevant Minister as fast as possible.”


Support our Nation today

For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
2 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Quornby
Quornby
1 year ago

Good work

huwdavies
huwdavies
1 year ago
Reply to  Quornby

Ben Lake works hard on those things that really matter. On this occasion it’s probably a fairly easy “give away” for Boris but well worth it for those who need it.

Our Supporters

All information provided to Nation.Cymru will be handled sensitively and within the boundaries of the Data Protection Act 2018.