34
Figures from the House of Commons Library show that for a typical litre of petrol costing 138.3p, 81p goes to the Treasury in fuel duty and VAT. That figure equals a record set earlier this year, which helped force George Osborne, the Chancellor, to postpone an earlier proposed increase in tax. Drivers of diesel cars are typically paying 143.2p for a litre, of which 81.8p is tax, close to a record for this year. Under current Treasury plans, duty on petrol and diesel will rise by 3p a litre on Jan1 next year. Motoring groups and campaigners, including Conservative MPs, are urging the Chancellor to scrap the planned rise, which they say will squeeze household budgets further and dampen Britain’s economic recovery.
Friday, November 9, 2012
Tax paid on petrol Woman fails reaches a record high theory 105 times
The Commons library, which is politically neutral, tracks data on fuel and produces regular reports for
MPs on prices and tax levels. Its latest report shows that, after gradually falling over the summer, pump prices are close to levels seen in April, when a typical litre of petrol cost 141.7p. The library’s researchers report that this year’s higher prices have mainly been caused by rising global oil prices, forced up by political tensions in the Middle East, especially over Iran’s nuclear programme. However, tax has con-
tributed to longer-term rises: “The price increases since late 2010 have been as a consequence of rising oil prices, the weaker pound and increases in duty and VAT,” the report said. The library reported that overall, British fuel duty was the second highest in the European Union. According to data from the European Commission, British diesel is the most expensive in the EU, “despite relatively low pretax prices”, the report said.
The hapless motorist is believed to be the country’s most incompetent candidate to date, according to data supplied by the Driving Standards Agency. With the theory test costing £31, the woman from Essex has spent more than £3,000 so far enough to buy a respectable second hand car, such as a 2005 Nissan Micra with 38,000 miles on the clock. Her latest unfortunate tilt
at the exam took place at Ilford, unfortunately the result was the same as the previous 104 attempts. No other candidate has come near, though a man in Peterborough, Cambs is giving it his best shot with 84 attempts so far. The theory exam, which must be passed before a candidate is allowed to take the practical exam, entails answering 50 multiple choice questions with 43 correct answers required.