§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he last met representatives of(a) the Road Haulage Association and (b) the Freight Transport Association; what plans he has to meet them in the future; and what proposals he has put to each organisation regarding the impact of increased duty and excise charges. [82777]
§ Dr. ReidMinisters have frequent contact with representatives of the Road Haulage Association (RHA) and the Freight Transport Association (FTA) most recently. On 26 April my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister attended and addressed the FTA Annual Dinner. On 27 April I had an informal meeting with David Green, Director General and Lawrence Christersen, President of the FTA together with other FTA representatives. I also had an informal meeting at the House of Commons with Steve Norris, Director General of the RHA and with a number of individual road hauliers. Both the FTA and the RHA were represented at the inaugural meeting of the Road Haulage Forum on 8 April. I will be attending the RHA's Annual Dinner or 11 May, and I expect to continue to meet representatives of both Associations frequently.
I have put no proposals to them regarding the impact of increased duty and excise charges. Tax matters are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The Road Haulage Forum's main task is to establish the facts on the competitiveness of the industry but it will also be looking at a range of other issues.