15. Lieut.-Colonel Colin Mitchellasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will seek to introduce a graded petrol tax for the north-east of Scotland and other remote areas to bring about a more equitable system of sharing transport costs on a national basis.
§ Mr. Patrick JenkinI have noted my hon. and gallant Friend's suggestion.
Lieut.-Colonel Colin MitchellDoes the hon. Gentleman agree that transport costs are the single most crippling burden facing the remoter areas of Scotland, and what action does he propose to take about it?
§ Mr. JenkinI certainly recognise that duties on petrols and DERV, which went 836 up from 2s. 9d. to 4s. 6d. under the last Administration, placed a special burden on remoter areas of the country, but I see very great difficulty in running a system that would involve differential rates for different parts of the country.