"We have long argued that the disparity in fuel duty between Northern Ireland and the South distorts the sale of fuel and encourages smuggling and illegal laundering as the North embraces the benefit of lower prices in the South," said RHA Chief Executive Roger King.

"We are delighted that the Committee agrees and urges Government to give further urgent consideration to the desirability of introducing a differential rate for fuel duty in the Province".

"This week, in addition to the Scottish National Party seeking to introduce a fuel duty regulator to combat high fuel prices that put up transport costs for freight, there has also been the publication of a report by the Local Government and Transport Committee of the Scottish Parliament on Freight Transport in Scotland in response to an earlier petition submitted by the RHA. This also highlights high fuel prices exacerbated by fuel duty levels.

"It seems that the message the RHA has been sending out is finally being acknowleged by other parts of the United Kingdom. High fuel prices combined with high rates of duty damage economies and encourage illegal activity. The UK Government MUST listen and come up with solutions to this problem".