F-licence to stay
Page 7
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THE GOVERNMENT has no intention of withdrawing the F-licence concessions for farmers, Transport Secretary David Howell has made clear.
Nevertheless, he has asked the National Farmers' Union to come up with new figures on the use of farm vehicles on public roads.
Mr Howell has acted following complaints from the Road Haulage Association (CM, March 5) that the duty and dery concessions should be withdrawn because of abuses by farmers over the fuel rebate. The RHA has supplied Mr Howell with a list of farmers who it claims have broken the law.
But, in reply, Mr Howell has told them that he will consult the interested parties "as to the appropriate level of the concession in the future" — a clear indication that it will continue. the NFU comes up with the figures. The last survey by the NFU has been ruled out by the Government as being out of date.
The farmers' concessions have existed since 1927. On excise duty they pay between 16 and 59 per cent of the full rate.
The RHA's campaign against the farmers' concession was initiated by Scottish operators, and was taken up last year when national chairman Harold Russett spoke at a Scottish area dinner in Glasgow (CM, October 16, 1982).
An RHA spokesman declined to comment further when CM spoke to him this week.