Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the cost to the mining and quarrying industries of the withdrawal of the red diesel fuel duty rebate from April 2022; and whether that assessment includes the availability of alternative non-fossil fuel heavy plant and machinery.

At Budget 2020, the Chancellor announced that the Government will remove the entitlement to use red diesel from April 2022, except in agriculture, fish farming, rail and for non-commercial heating (including domestic heating). This change will ensure that most businesses using diesel in the UK pay the standard fuel duty rate on diesel, which more fairly reflects the harmful impact of the emissions they produce. These reforms are also designed to ensure that the tax system incentivises users of diesel to improve the energy efficiency of their vehicles and machinery, invest in cleaner alternatives or use less fuel.

The Government recognises that this will be a significant change for some businesses, including in the mining and quarrying industries. It launched a consultation in July to make sure it has not overlooked any exceptional reasons why other sectors should be allowed to continue to use red diesel beyond April 2022, and officials met with representatives from the industry on the 8^th of September. As part of this, the Government has been seeking information from affected users on the expected impact of these tax changes, including on their capacity to shift to cleaner alternatives.