As hundreds of fuel tankers continue to head out across Scotland to bring forecourt supplies quickly back up to normal levels, First Minister Alex Salmond today paid tribute to the way the country had coped with the effects of the industrial dispute at Grangemouth.

Mr Salmond said that the public had reacted well to messages about responsible purchasing and patience, and that updated figures showed that even in the middle of the industrial action at the weekend, more than ninety percent of Scotland's near 1,000 petrol stations reported that they were unaffected by full or partial 'stockouts'.

The First Minister also said that bus, train, ferry and air services had been unaffected over the past two weeks, at a time where passenger numbers were reported to be higher than normal. Emergency services had been equally unaffected.

And Mr Salmond called again on the Westminster Government to consider a Fuel Duty Regulator to ensure that motorists and road hauliers are protected from sharply rising fuel prices.

Speaking following the latest meeting of the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Civil Contingencies in the Scottish Government's SEER Emergency Room, Mr Salmond said: "The convoy of tankers that has been heading out of Grangemouth since Tuesday morning has ensured that Scotland's forecourt fuel supplies are quickly returning to normal.

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"More than 11.5 million litres of fuel left Grangemouth in the 24 hours up until 7.45am today, and I have been told that the situation at the pumps should return to normal very soon.

"While some drivers have been unfortunately inconvenienced over the past week or so, figures from the retail associations show that the number of retailers unaffected by full or partial stockouts on any given day was never lower than 91% in the past week, and as at yesterday was up to 97% and rising.

The First Minister said it was a magnificent achievement that even on the most difficult day less than 10% of outlets were affected by the strike.

"The patience and responsible behaviour of drivers over recent days is to be praised, and I ask for that to continue until things are fully back to normal. I welcome the fact that the unions and management have resumed talks and are now actively considering a proposal that might resolve the dispute.

"I have also welcomed the fact that both sides have been co-operative in minimising the inevitable inconvenience that industrial action can cause, and that includes working to get some production resumed within days and back to full production very quickly." He added

The Fist Minister also tackled public concern about rising fuel prices, some of it linked to suggestions of limited but unacceptable profiteering during the dispute period.

He said: "Any general price rises inevitably hit the motorist and road hauliers hard, and I again call on the Westminster Government to introduce a Fuel Duty Regulator, which would see a double protection for motorists and the road haulage industry.

"First, higher oil prices beyond Bugetary forecasts would trigger an automatic freeze in fuel duty rates, and second, any extra cash raised from VAT on petrol or diesel as a result of the higher pump prices would go back into an equivalent cut in fuel duty."

(GK/JM)