North Cornwall left out of 5p fuel discount, Ben Maguire tells MPs

Drivers on the Scottish islands, the Isles of Scilly and parts of Exmoor pay 5p a litre less in fuel duty at the pump. In North Cornwall, they pay the full rate.

And the area’s MP says the Budget was the moment to change that.

What was said in the Commons

Ben Maguire, the Liberal Democrat MP for North Cornwall, raised the Rural Fuel Duty Relief scheme during the House of Commons Budget debate.

He told MPs that North Cornwall has no direct bus services to major hospitals, and lacks routes to colleges and jobs. That, he says, leaves people in his constituency almost entirely dependent on their cars.

Pointing to what he described as rocketing fuel prices, Ben asked whether the Government had “missed an opportunity” to extend the scheme to rural constituents in need.

How Rural Fuel Duty Relief works

The scheme gives a 5p per litre fuel duty discount at the pump in a small number of remote areas. Those include the Scottish islands, the Isles of Scilly, parts of northern England and Exmoor.

North Cornwall is not on the list.

An ongoing campaign

The Commons question is the latest step in Ben’s political campaign for more support for drivers in rural communities. He has previously written to the Chancellor calling for the scheme to be expanded, and met Treasury Minister Dan Tomlinson earlier this year to lobby for the same.

Ben said: “In rural North Cornwall, so many of my constituents simply do not have the bus options to get them to urgent hospital appointments, college, or work. Unlike those living in larger towns and cities across the country who have a variety of transport options, this means they often quite literally have no choice but to drive.

“The Government has really missed an opportunity in the Budget to extend rural fuel duty relief to North Cornwall and provide a fairer deal. Having met with Treasury Ministers previously to push my campaign, I’ll keep raising this in Parliament and with the Chancellor until we get the support we need.”

📷Ben Maguire speaking in the House of Commons Budget debate. Credit: UK Parliament