Roland Perry wrote:
In message , at
20:57:45 on Mon, 29 Aug 2005, Martin Underwood
remarked:
For some reason, the rises in the price of fuel over the past few
months have affected diesel prices more than petrol: going back a
few years, diesel used to be slightly cheaper than petrol, then it
drew level and became 1-2 pence/litre more expensive, but stilll
cheaper than leaded or lead-replacement petrol; now it's
consistently the most expensive fuel on the forecourt, typically 5
pence/litre more than unleaded. Since the fuel duty (a fixed rate
that's not dependent on the raw material cost) hasn't changed, I'm
not sure what's happened.

When oil is refined, it's expensive to change the types of fuel that
are produced (away from some "natural" mix of petrol/diesel etc). I
expect
that the demand for diesel has increased enormously, so the price rise
reflects a relative scarcity.

I seem to recall mention of a shift in Treasury policy on fuel taxation so
that they get the same amount of cash per mile from the motorist regardless
of fuel used. Diesel using less fuel per mile gets taxed more.

No I don't have a link to confirm that.

In message , Neil Williams
writes
(If you're thinking of the lines on the northern part of the M6, there
are no cameras there; the lines are left over from some roadworks).
I thought they had recently installed two cameras each way on the
Lancashire section?
--
Clive

On Tue, 30 Aug 2005 09:23:12 +0100, Roland Perry
wrote:

when you pay to get it inspected (annually after three years),

Huh? Do you mean the sales tax on the inspection fee?

The MOT inspection is mandatory, so arguably the inspection fee is a
tax.


--
James Farrar

September's coming soon

In message , at
09:15:15 on Tue, 30 Aug 2005, Brimstone
remarked:
I seem to recall mention of a shift in Treasury policy on fuel taxation so
that they get the same amount of cash per mile from the motorist regardless
of fuel used. Diesel using less fuel per mile gets taxed more.

That's an interesting idea, but the price hike would be much more.

"Ultra-low sulphur petrol and diesel are liable for duty of
47.10p per litre, while the rate for non-ULS unleaded petrol is
50.19p and 53.27p for non-ULS diesel [...] Road fuels are also
liable for Value Added Tax at a rate of 17.5 per cent of the
full retail price (including duty)"

http://www.politics.co.uk/issues/road-fuel-duties-$3320486.htm

Also: "In August 2004, the House of Commons Environmental Audit Select
Committee claimed that petrol was 10 per cent cheaper in real
terms than in 2000."

"[Total duties of] £24.4 billion in 2004-2005" (That's about
£1000 per household).
--
Roland Perry

In message , at 10:55:42 on
Tue, 30 Aug 2005, James Farrar remarked:
when you pay to get it inspected (annually after three years),

Huh? Do you mean the sales tax on the inspection fee?

The MOT inspection is mandatory, so arguably the inspection fee is a
tax.

A very weak argument, though. You have to buy new tyres when they wear
out, too. Is that a tax?
--
Roland Perry

Roland Perry ) gurgled happily, sounding much like they
were saying :

when you pay to get it inspected (annually after three years),

Huh? Do you mean the sales tax on the inspection fee?

The MOT inspection is mandatory, so arguably the inspection fee is a
tax.

A very weak argument, though. You have to buy new tyres when they wear
out, too. Is that a tax?

I suspect he was meaning VAT on the MOT fee.

Not that the MOT is VATted.

In message . 170, at
11:33:52 on Tue, 30 Aug 2005, Adrian remarked:
Roland Perry ) gurgled happily, sounding much like they
were saying :

when you pay to get it inspected (annually after three years),

Huh? Do you mean the sales tax on the inspection fee?

The MOT inspection is mandatory, so arguably the inspection fee is a
tax.

A very weak argument, though. You have to buy new tyres when they wear
out, too. Is that a tax?

I suspect he was meaning VAT on the MOT fee.

Not that the MOT is VATted.

My thoughts exactly. The OP was clutching at straws.
--
Roland Perry

In message . 170,
Adrian writes
I suspect he was meaning VAT on the MOT fee.

Not that the MOT is VATted.
This is something I've never given thought to but am now wondering, does
the MOT attract VAT?
--
Clive

In message , at 13:10:23 on Tue,
30 Aug 2005, Clive remarked:
This is something I've never given thought to but am now wondering,
does the MOT attract VAT?

No.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/Motoring/Ow...rticles/fs/en?
CONTENT_ID=4022514&chk=3fdPzr
--
Roland Perry

In message , Roland
Perry writes

My thoughts exactly. The OP was clutching at straws.

Eh? I have no idea whether the cost of car ownership is higher here than
the USA or not - I have no axe to grind either way!

I was merely pointing out, in the context of setting motoring expenses
against tax, that we have the MOT here, just as the American poster said
he has an annual auto inspection (the latter is generally only a
fraction of the cost of an MOT, incidentally).

--
Paul Terry