WRITE NOW!!

I have just spent the last hour composing my email in response to the red diesel consultation. I have copied it into this blog post below for your interest. For those interested, the RBOA statement can be found by following this link. If you haven't emailed your response DO IT NOW to envirotax.bst@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk. It is very important that the government see that, at the very least, we are concerned and vocal; it might just sway any thinking!

My email is as follows:

Dear Sir/Madam,

I feel compelled to write regarding the proposed increase on tax for diesel used by ‘pleasure craft’. It is extremely sad that, yet again, our country has had to ‘bow’ to the ‘one size fits all’ regime of the EU; a community that simply does not and can not hope to understand the particularities of this great and, (sadly becoming increasingly less,) unique country.

However, in light of the fact that common sense has again bowed to beaurocracy, it is important that, at the very least, those making decisions in power attempt to understand the considerable issues and implications they face.

I live aboard my narrowboat in the Midlands. I am not a ‘liveaboard’- I am a boater who chooses to live aboard. I own property and hold down a respectable career as the Deputy Headteacher of a very successful junior school in Rugby. I live on my boat as it is a way of life I enjoy and find very relaxing and I am passionate about the history and nature of our waterways. My boat is well maintained and fully compliant and as such, living on it is NOT a cheap way of life! I am concerned that I am going to be unfairly penalised for my chosen way of life through no fault of my own and wonder how this affects my human rights quite apart from my legal rights to purchase heating oil at a reduced rate of taxation?

At present, you are proposing three options for the introduction of an increased rate of tax on red diesel. Option C is simply not viable nor fair, given that by far the majority of my ‘normal’, (normal meaning day to day living as opposed to holiday cruising,) usage of red diesel is for running my central heating system, hot water heating system or for generating electricity, (a strange anomaly how my self sufficient and considerably greener lifestyle is about to be penalised in this current ‘green’ climate?) I do not believe that the Inland Waterways Association’s suggested rate of 25% discount bares even a close resemblance to my actual proportion of usage which is much nearer to the Residential Boat Owners Association suggested rate of 60%.

As regards options A or B, I would have no problems signing any necessary declaration ‘at the pump’ to state the general split of diesel used for propulsion to that for heating/generating etc. in order to receive an immediate tax reduction but would be extremely uncomfortable at having the unnecessary added burden of having to claim the tax back on an annual or 6 month basis, (I would assume if this was the case that the cost of time and postage etc. could also be included?) The possibility of my boat fitting a second tank is totally untenable as is the option of fitting a new tank to rid my boat of the red dye, (my diesel tank is integrally built into the hull of my boat!) Much less, are the chances of boatyards and marinas, (not to mention the many diesel selling working boats that ‘eek’ out a living on the waterways,) being able to fit the necessary equipment for selling two separate types of fuel.

It would seem to me that the only fair option, (given the state we find ourselves,) is to apply the lowest possible taxation rate across the board, (taking into account the statistics of amount used for heating/generating,) and if that has to be higher than is legal, (given my legal right to buy heating oil at a lower rate of duty,) at least allowing me the option of re-claiming the tax unnecessarily spent, through the simplest and easiest means possible for everyone involved.

I would seriously urge all decision making people to consider very carefully the options available and discuss fully with all the relevant bodies, (especially the RBOA,) in order to prevent a ‘maintenance fee’ style fiasco occurring on our waterways.

Thank you for your time in reading and considering my views,
Kind regards
Andrew J. Edwards