The experience of David Seppman (Letters, last week) in visiting Parliament was unfortunate and I apologise for not being able to see him. The lesson for the future is to make a firm appointment with your MP before turning up.
Mr Seppman did fax my Buxton office on the Sunday before the Wednesday when hauliers lobbied Parliament. I knew about his fax on the Tuesday and I was expecting him to contact me. He was the only High Peak person to contact me about the lobby. He wen
t to Parliament in the normal way at lunchtime and filled in a 'green card'. The green card reached me - by post - the next day.
I was called to sit on a statutory instrument committee at short notice - from 2.30 to 4.15. My Buxton office did not know that and I had no staff in London that day. Some time after 4pm the Commons authorities contacted my Buxton office and they texted me. As my phone was still on 'silent' from being in committee I did not see the text immediately. It was not until 5pm that I knew Mr Seppman was waiting, by which time he had gone.
Clearly Mr Seppman was more disappointed about his Parliamentary experience than about the fuel situation and I apologise for that. Should he wish to meet me in Buxton, as we have met before, we can. No doubt he will want to welcome the cancellation of the 2p rise in fuel duty this autumn and the fact that motoring is 18% cheaper in real terms than 20 years ago (according to the RAC).
He will be aware that fuel rises in UK have been less than elsewhere and fuel is now cheaper in UK than in France. He is paying more VAT on his fuel today but as a haulier he can, of course, claim his VAT back.
Tom Levitt MP
Labour Member for High Peak
The full article contains 328 words and appears in Buxton Advertiser newspaper.
