Na h-Eileanan an Iar SNP MP Angus MacNeil expressed his anger at the response he received to his Parliamentary Question from the Chancellor – who has island connections.
"It is all the more galling since the Treasury is run by someone who not only represents a Scottish constituency, but has a home in the Western Isles," said Mr MacNeil.

The MP had asked if the Government would seek fuel tax concessions for Scottish islands as the French government does for its rural areas.

Said Mr MacNeil: "The galling thing is that the UK Government voted to allow the French government to introduce this derogation for its rural areas, but will not allow it to happen on their own doorstep.
Mr MacNeil went on: "This answer just sums up the totally arrogant and metropolitan viewpoint of the London Government. They have absolutely no idea how their high fuel taxes, which have spiralled at an alarming rate over the past 12 months, are doing to rural areas like the Western Isles.

Mr MacNeil's question was 'to ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will consider derogating from EU regulations, as negotiated by the French government to enable a reduction in fuel duty in rural areas by three per cent until 2011 with particular reference to the Scottish Islands.'
Replied Mr Darling: "Fuel duty helps the Government meet its objectives of reducing polluting emissions and funding public services. A derogation to alter fuel duty rates in this way would have to be carefully considered in the light of the above objectives as well as administrative and fraud considerations and the Government has no current plans to seek one."

Regarding the answer, Mr MacNeil stated: "It will make people in Scotland angry to know that the London Government takes billions in Scottish oil revenue – yet does nothing to help us when it comes to concessions on road fuel duty."