Duty reduction would have run from October to December
Deputy Lucy Stephenson has withdrawn her Jersey States Assembly proposition calling for a 10 pence per litre fuel duty cut from 1 October to 31 December, after what she described as “constructive discussions” with Treasury Minister Alan Maclean about the cost of living.
Stephenson, the deputy for St Mary, St Ouen and St Peter, lodged the proposition in June. The measure would have reduced the duty — which stands at around 65p per litre on petrol and diesel, according to the BBC — by 10p a litre over the three-month window.
In a statement announcing the withdrawal, Stephenson said her talks with Maclean and other colleagues had produced a “pragmatic way forward” to help islanders deal with financial issues.
She first proposed the temporary cut in June, citing the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and the resulting limited traffic through the Strait of Hormuz as having exacerbated “spiralling costs” for Jersey residents.
Stephenson said her discussions with Maclean and other States members had left her satisfied the issue was being taken seriously. “I think there were very clear messages at the recent election from voters about the cost of living,” she said. “It’s obvious people are struggling and we have heard that loud and clear.”
Jersey’s budget is due to be lodged by the government later this month before being debated by the States Assembly in December.