§ Lord Lairdasked Her Majesty's Government:
In view of the geographical location of Northern Ireland and its land border with the Republic of Ireland, what special consideration is being given to mitigate the effects of the high cost of fuel. [HL3979]
§ Lord Falconer of ThorotonThe Government acknowledge the special circumstances that exist in Northern Ireland as a result of its sharing a land border with the Republic of Ireland.
The Chancellor announced in November 1999 that he would consider the appropriate rate of fuel duties on a Budget-by-Budget basis, taking into account all the relevant economic, social and environmental factors at the time. This applies equally to all parts of the UK, including Northern Ireland.