UK AND Scottish ministers have been urged to come to Moray to see for themselves how residents are being regularly ripped off by unfair delivery charges.
SNP MSP Richard Lochhead has written to the UK Government’s Consumers Minister, Kelly Tolhurst MP, and the Scottish Government’s Business Minister, Jamie Hepburn MSP, for talks in the AB-IV postcode boundary in his latest push for an end to unfair parcel delivery surcharges.
Mr Lochhead met the consumers minister at Westminster in November last year, where he made clear the level of frustration felt by consumers in Moray and the north – but to date the UK Government has refused to make law changes.
Research from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre revealed that parcel delivery surcharges cost Scottish consumers £38 million last year.
Mr Lochhead said: "I kicked off my campaign to end rip-off parcel delivery surcharges almost three years ago now, securing cross-party support, and what started out as a local campaign has now become a national issue.
"Whilst I welcome that progress, I continue to be inundated with cases from constituents and people across the north of Scotland, all of which make it clear the current laws are not working and there’s huge public support for action.
"I have invited both the Scottish and UK government ministers to visit Moray for further talks and so they can see the AB-IV postcode boundary first-hand. I’m certain they’ll then better understand just how ludicrous the postcode lottery and additional charges are.
"When I travelled to Westminster to meet with the UK Government minister, she assured me that this was an issue she was taking seriously. However, we are nine months on and there’s been little sign of any action.
"I hope both the Scottish and UK ministers will accept my invitation to Moray, and that they will commit to action that will put a stop to online retailers fleecing customers in the north of Scotland once and for all."