APPENDIX 13
Memorandum submitted by the Engineering
Industries Association
The Engineering Industry was greatly incovenienced
by the recent fuel blockades and, whilst our Members share and
in general support the view that fuel costs remain far too high
in the UK and adversely affect this country's competitive trading
position with its European partners, they would prefer not to
have to suffer the effects of the further action proposed by the
protesting lobby.
I have by way of example attached two typical
returns we have received, from which you will note that these
fairly average-sized SMEs have estimated the costs of the last
fuel blockades as being £15,000 and £20,000 respectively.
This would seem to indicate that the overall impact throughout
the UK could have cost industry as much as £2 billion.
2 November 2000
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