Halcro Johnston blasts unfair delivery charges
Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston spoke up for residents who have faced unfair delivery charges in Moray, Orkney and Shetland in yesterday’s Scottish Parliament debate.
Following a campaign where he has received numerous residents’ views and challenged businesses offering heavy charges or refusing to deliver, Mr Halcro Johnston raised a number of examples with Ministers.
Douglas Ross, Member of Parliament for Moray, also raised the issue with the Theresa May at yesterday’s Prime Minister’s Questions. The Prime Minister recognised his campaigning on this issue, proposing a meeting with the UK Business Secretary to discuss the impact of unfair charges in remote and rural parts of Scotland.
Speaking following the debate, Jamie Halcro Johnston said:
“Having contacted many firms following reports of excessive delivery charges from constituents, I welcome that this issue is now very much on the agenda of both the UK Government and Scottish Government.
“There are steps consumers can take, but it is positive to hear a range of voices speaking out against businesses that maintain unfair practices. I will be continuing to campaign on unfair delivery charges and invite any constituents with issues to get in touch with me.”
During the debate, Jamie Halcro Johnston said:
“Constituents have been writing to me a great deal over recent weeks on this subject and I would like to share some of their situations.
“In Orkney and Shetland, the main problem appears to be firms often refusing to deliver at all. My mailbag has been a mix of both small firms and major global companies.
“In the mainland Highlands, examples tend to point more to charges and costs.
“In one case, we had a gentleman faced with a delivery charge considerably greater than the value of the item he was having shipped. After some negotiation, he managed to get agreement to have it shipped by Royal Mail, at less than an eighth of the cost initially proposed.
“From Elgin we had an example of a delivery charge being inflated by over fifty pounds compared to delivery to Inverness – almost in the realms where it would have been cheaper to have the parcel chauffeur-driven for the remainder of the journey.”