Concern Over Cost of Living

That the Parliament notes that fuel prices increased by 11 pence a litre in May 2022, according to the RAC; further notes that the RAC has indicated that it expects petrol and diesel prices to reach £2 per litre by the summer; understands that the motoring organisation has warned that it could soon cost more than £100 to fill an average car with petrol, with a tank of diesel already costing almost £102; believes that this will have a devastating impact on people who rely on their car to meet their work or caring responsibilities and are already facing generationally high increases in domestic energy and food prices; further believes that price increases on this scale, to products that people rely on, must be addressed through government policy; considers that these prices are having a serious impact on consumer confidence and demand; understands that the British Retail Consortium has expressed concern at falling demand in recent months; is concerned that the reported falling demand is being felt seriously by industries such as hospitality, which it believes suffered particularly badly during the COVID-19 pandemic, and urges the Scottish and UK governments to do far more to address the cost of living crisis, which, it believes, is placing people into poverty and jeopardising jobs and businesses.