HARLOW MP Robert Halfon was today praised by the Chancellor, George Osborne, for his campaign to keep fuel duty down, as he revealed in the Autumn Statement that next year’s planned fuel duty increase will be cancelled. This follows the positive action from the Conservative-led Coalition that has already taken place, including cancelling the last Government’s fuel duty escalator, cutting fuel duty by 1p in 2011, and continuing to freeze fuel duty every year they have been in Government.

This means that from next year, fuel will be 20p a litre cheaper than it would have been under previous Labour Government plans, saving the average Harlow motorist £680 across this Parliament.

George Osborne said: “ That brings me onto fuel duty. We inherited from the last Government the hated fuel duty escalator that would have inflicted hardship on families and small firms alike. Instead of those rises, we abolished the escalator and we have cut and then frozen fuel duty.

I have had further representations from many, many honourable friends from the Member for Blackpool North, the Member for Argyle and of course, the Member for Harlow. He is a champion of the people he represents and I said earlier this Autumn; if we could find the money I would like to go on freezing fuel duty. Today I can report that because we have taken difficult decisions to control the public finances and deliver on that promise, next year’s fuel duty rise will be cancelled.

Instead of petrol taxes going up by 2 pence a litre, they will stay frozen and that means, compared to the previous Government’s plans, petrol will be 20p a litre less, £11 less every time you fill up. This is a saving for drivers, over this Parliament, of £680 and double that for small business with a van.

Cancelling fuel duty rises has been a major priority for the Government, a £22 billion demonstration that we are on the side of hard-working people in this country. ”

Mr Halfon said “For three years now I have been campaigning for the Government to keep down fuel duty. I this Autumn Statement (a mini budget), the Chancellor has confirmed that fuel duty will be frozen. This will mean that for every Harlow motorist, petrol will be 20p cheaper for every motorist than it would have been under the previous Government’s plans”.