§ Mr. Paul MarsdenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the impact of the fuel tax escalator on car users in rural areas. [87865]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonMy Department always keeps under review policies that impact significantly on the areas of transport, environment and other policy areas for which it is responsible, including on any specific sectors, and continues to monitor the impact of the fuel duty escalator. We are, of course, concerned to ensure that a balance is struck between legitimate environmental concerns and the transport needs of rural motorists. Increasing fuel taxation by itself will not be sufficient to achieve all our environmental objectives. People ultimately need real alternatives to the car, and this is one of the reasons behind our development of an integrated transport policy —the framework for which we published in July 1998 in our White Paper on the future of transport,A New Deal for Transport. We are also seeking to improve transport choice through the £170 million of additional funding which we have made available for public transport in rural areas.