Leaders of Scotland's farming, fishing and road haulage sectors met Mr Salmond today at Bute House, the First Minister's residence in Edinburgh to discuss the impact of soaring fuel costs on all three sectors.

And later, Bertie Armstrong, the chief executive of the Scottish Fishermen's Federation said Mr Salmond had been as "helpful as he could be."

Mr Armstrong went on: "He accepted the point immeditiately that the primary food producers in Scotland are a special case."

However Mr Salmond had added that the money in the Scottish budget was tight but did agree that he would take their case personally to the Chancelloir of the Exchequer.

Mr Salmond had also emphasised that the only money that exists in new money terms rests with the Chancellor in the form of the windfall cash the Government had won from soaring oil tax revenues.

"Mr Salmond was as helpful as he could be and he accepts our argument that the primary food producers are important to Scotland, more important to Scotland than perhaps elsewhere in the UK."

Mr Armstrong emphasised that they had to be able to adjust to the new reality of high fuel prices but if there was no assistance to allow them to do so, then there would be an "unplanned collapse" in areas of the fishing industry which would be irrecoverable.

Speaking after the meeting between the him and the leaders of NFU Scotland, the fishermens federation and the Road Haulage Association in Scotland,the First Minister said:

"This was an extremely productive meeting with Scotland's fuel coalition.

"At times of rising fuel prices, it is simply unacceptable that in energy rich Scotland vital sectors of the Scottish economy such as farming, fishing and transport are suffering. Primary industries and those who transport goods are under huge pressure and they are integral to the Scottish economy.

"I welcome the coalition proposals, and the Scottish Government will now present their key demands to the UK Treasury for action - particularly given that official forecasts estimate a 4.9 billion pound tax windfall, which would rise to a 6.2 billion pound windfall at an oil price of 135 dollars a barrel."

On a reply received from the Chancellor which was referred to at the meeting, on the issue of the Treasury's tax windfall, the First Minister pledged to continue raising these issues with the Chancellor, given the oil revenue forecasts. Mr Salmond added:

"The Chancellor of the Exchequer has now at last accepted that there is an offshore tax windfall from Scotland's North Sea Oil, which is a substantial step forward from his previous position.

"He also must accept that there is an onshore windfall from tax on higher road fuel prices - and that key measures such as announcing now the scrapping of the 2p October duty rise and establishing a fuel duty regulator will themselves help to keep the economy moving forward, and strengthen consumer demand throughout the whole economy."

www.fishupdate.com is published by Special Publications. Special Publications also publish FISHupdate magazine, Fish Farmer, the Fish Industry Yearbook, the Scottish Seafood Processors Federation Diary, the Fish Farmer Handbook and a range of wallplanners.

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