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Eurosceptic Bloggers

Thursday, December 14, 2006

Red Diesel

No its not fuel being offered by Hugo Chavez to Ken Livingstone, its actually normal diesel fuel with a red dye added, and sold with a discount on normal fuel excise duty.

So why should we Serfs be the least bit interested? Because the following is a little example of how the EU controls everything. From Hansard:

Mr. Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland) (LD): What recent progress has been made in negotiations to extend the derogation from EU regulations to enable UK pleasure boats to use red diesel in 2007; and if he will make a statement. [104886] The Financial Secretary to the Treasury (John Healey): I know that the derogation that permits the use of red diesel in Britain is highly valued by private boat owners and users. Thirty-four separate derogations from the directive are held by member states. None has yet been approved by the Commission and 14 have been rejected so far. Late yesterday afternoon, it was confirmed to me that the Commission had decided not to renew the UK’s application for a fresh derogation for private boats.
This means that by order of Brussels, pleasure boats will have to pay full excise duty on their diesel. Why such decisions need to be made at EU level is a complete mystery. What over riding principle could there be, we are not told. But the upshot is that in many areas, Brussels already controls our taxation policy.

The debate continues with Class Warrior Rob Marris (Lab) criticising the fact that pleasure boats are exempt. His contribution is the kind that have led to the situation that we find ourselves in today, completely irrelevant.

Now you may think that he has a point. Its at least worth a debate. But handing over power to Brussels in order to win domestic arguments is the height of ignorance and negligence.

Those of you that read the debate may notice this little snippet:

The principle that road fuel level duty should be applied to private boat owners was agreed ...... in 1992 under the mineral oil structures directive, by the previous Government.
Two points here:
  1. Previous Conservative governments have been almost as bad as this one in their surrender to Brussels
  2. It took 14 years for the full effect of this directive happen. You can get opt outs or special status, but in the end, the Steam Roller will flatten you.

6 comments:

Whispering Walls said...

According to Boris Johnson, Conservatives wanted to propose that a Parliamentary committee should be formed to veto such daft Euro legislation from our shores but Blair was too busy with Iraq to let it go to the vote. BJ didn't explain why they're not continuing to push for this.

The Leadership Blogger said...

I am at a loss to see how "Road fuel tax" applies to boats.That's why red diesel rates apply to farmers - it's not for ROAD use, and they get into trouble if they use it on the road. But anyway, how do you police this daft change? Boats don't have to use filling stations, and boat owners don't have to go to the fuel pump with a boat. Anyway, in a way it's a good thing, in that again it demonstrates - to another element of the voting public - that the EU is a BAD THING

Serf said...

Good point, Boats tend not to use the road.

Anonymous said...

"BJ didn't explain why they're not continuing to push for this."

Probably because he has finally noticed that we've given up the right to veto EU legislation.

Anonymous said...

beachhutman: "boat owners don't have to go to the fuel pump with a boat."

How do you think boats get filled up?

By the fairy godmother?

The only alternative to going to a pump,is to carry the fuel around in cans. And once the derogation is gone, where do you think we're going to GET red diesel anyway?

Eugene Yompster said...

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