Has anyone actually ponted out to the Government...

[Whitelighter]

... that you don't need a thrid tax abnd for leisure use. Just increase Red duty to the minimum. This means:

Commecrial users claim it back, just like they do now
There is now law change
There is no infrastructure change
It could be done tomorrow with a budget announcement.

Why has no-one seen the light. How bloody simple does it need to be. Come on Simon, Hugo - please explain???

[rickp]

I wonder if the sticking point is what to do with the other users of red diesel (off-road, builders, heating etc). If you increase the price of "marine red" to meet the EU obligations - how do you prevent mariners fraudulently using the now cheaper heating oil (for example)?

Rick

[gandy]

If you put up the price of all red the farmers would hit the roof. Even if they claim back something they will still have the extra hassle and cash-flow grief.

[adrianm]

[ QUOTE ]
I wonder if the sticking point is what to do with the other users of red diesel (off-road, builders, heating etc). If you increase the price of "marine red" to meet the EU obligations - how do you prevent mariners fraudulently using the now cheaper heating oil (for example)?

Rick

[/ QUOTE ]

A common thread in all these discussion is the fraud angle. It irks me that the Government attitude seems to be that we're all law breaking toe rags and will rip them off at every opportunity.

If they apply that logic to everything then we won't be able to buy any sharp knives, cars, glues etc etc as we might kill people with them.

[purplerobbie]

[ QUOTE ]
I wonder if the sticking point is what to do with the other users of red diesel (off-road, builders, heating etc). If you increase the price of "marine red" to meet the EU obligations - how do you prevent mariners fraudulently using the now cheaper heating oil (for example)?

Rick

[/ QUOTE ]

If you are live-a-board and you have a diesel heater which is fed from your main fuel tank how will they get round this? you will need to buy fuel for heat and it will have to go in the tank for the engine. are you defruading anyone?

Rob

[macnorton]

If I were PM, I think I would.

1 let every-one think the tax will be charged at the upper rate
2 ask everyone to pat me on the back when I say it will be the minimum.

But the truth is, we are the latest "cash cow"

[DickSmith]

I made the same point to the RYA and Government but that wont create "Jobs for the Boys" - the nation has lost its way and the map for the return trip!