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		Victory for East Midlands farmers Wednesday, 11 December 2002 East Midlands MEP Roger Helmer is delighted at a decision by the European Council and Parliament to exempt red diesel from new EU pollution limits. This will protect local farmers from potentially huge costs. Conservative MEPs ensured that new laws will not subject non-road mobile machinery, such as tractors, to new pollution control limits from 1 January 2005. Roger Helmer MEP commented: "The threat to red diesel being lifted is a victory for farmers and rural workers. These proposals would have endangered the reduced rate of tax that is paid on red diesel and therefore many East Midlands farmers. Our rural communities cannot afford the proposed rise in the rate of fuel tax and I am glad that the rest of the MEPs have finally acknowledged this."