Farmers in 'Tax fiddle' row
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SOME farmers are breaking the law, it was said at the weekend. They are using goods vehicles for purposes other than carrying their own goods, while they are paying the farmers' excise duty, which is only a fraction of the normal rate.
The allegation was made at the RHA agricultural and livestock conference at Droitwich after farmer Mr John Tamplin, of the National Farmers Union, had talked about farmers' problems.
The farmer's licence allows a man who owns land to buy a vehicle—subject to the 0 licence requirements—and tax it at a much lower rate than a haulier.
For a ten-ton truck the farmer's rate is £101.40 whereas the hauliers' rate is £611.95.
Mr George Mitchell, of the RHA, told the conference : "The F licence is our thorniest problem. We are concerned about a person with two acres of ground who buys two trucks on an F licence and then runs them at the cheap rate, with other peoples' goods. The 1971 Vehicles Excise Act says that trucks taxed under the F licence system must be used only for carrying the goods of a farmer or the produce of the farm.
Mr Tamplin said : "We must find some way to stop this— but we are not the penal authority."