Standing up for Scotland's interests

When the SNP was given the backing of the people of Scotland last year, its overriding pledge was to promote and, if necessary, defend Scotland's interests. We guaranteed the people an effective government that would stand up for Scotland whatever the issue. And in the current times of rising oil prices this pledge has never been more crucial.

Recent months have seen fuel costs soar as the price of oil hit over $140 a barrel. This global problem has been experienced by each and every one of us on a local level – families, individuals, industry, big business, small business –in rising utility bills and transport expenses. It is placing severe pressure on sectors such as haulage and fishing and threatening the viability of some vulnerable businesses. Meanwhile in the last year the cost of filling up a family car has gone up £30 a month and food prices have risen by 7 per cent. The impact has been clearly felt here in Banff & Buchan, the most rural constituency in mainland Scotland, where for most travelling by car is a daily necessity.

The SNP is acutely aware of these issues and has been working doggedly to tackle them. While control over energy and hence fuel duty currently remains in the hands of the UK Government we have been doing all in our power to press Brown's administration to act to ease the strain on hard pressed families, workers and businesses in Scotland.

One common sense measure being pushed by the SNP is a Fuel Duty Regulator. This system would provide double protection for drivers and the road haulage industry. It would work so that higher oil prices would trigger an automatic freeze in fuel duty rates. At the same time any extra money raised from VAT on petrol or diesel as a result of higher pump prices would go back into an equivalent cut in fuel duty. This would control rising fuel prices and ensure they do not hit the consumer the hardest. Unsurprisingly our proposal commands support across the sectors from bodies like the Scottish Fishermen's Federation, the National Farmer's Union Scotland and the Road Haulage Association.

Whilst each of the Scottish parties claims to be standing up for their constituents on rising oil prices, at Westminster the Tories, Labour and the Lib Dems recently voted against the SNP/Plaid Cymru amendment to introduce this scheme. What's more the Tories have now shown blatant hypocrisy by introducing virtually identical proposals to the fuel duty regulator while inexplicably refusing to support our plans.

The SNP is pressing the Westminster Government, now with more justification than ever, to put oil money to work for Scotland – to give Scotland a 10 per cent share of the revenues to establish an oil fund for future generations. While the UK Government continues to ignore this vital opportunity Norway, having invested in such a fund 12 years ago, is now reaping the benefits with a fund worth £186.

At a time when we are all aware of the importance of oil and gas to our everyday lives, it is more obvious than ever that Scotland must gain more control over its oil wealth. I look forward to the day when the concrete benefits of North Sea oil can be felt by everyone in Banff & Buchan. In the meantime the SNP will tirelessly continue to put pressure on Westminster to make our national resource deliver for the people of Scotland.