Tories to Attack Lorry Tax Rise
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From our Political Correspondent
AARITTER attack on the way that the . increased excise duties on goods vehicles will raise the cost of living is expected from the Tories when the Commons get down to debating Chancellor James Callaghan's mammoth Finance Bill.
The Bill, out this week, confirmed the 50 per cent increase on goods vehicle rates. The Conservatives have done their homework and are saying that this steep increase in road haulage tax will mean another 000,000 being paid out for British Railways road fleet. And one long-distance private haulage firm operating 260 vehicles has estimated its excise bill will rise from 126,000 to 139,000 a year.
The Tories are also saying that some road haulage firms will have to impose rate increases higher than the 5 per cent recommended by the Road Haulage Association.
Howasks the Opposition as it limbers up for the debates—can Mr. Callaghan's pattern of taxation in his two Budgets be fair when he imposes £95 m. additional tax on road goods traffic?
Presumably it is because he knows that the cost will be widely spread—very widely spread—by entering into the cost of practically everything which goes into the shops.
The Conservatives always thought the yardstick for increases in indirect taxation was whether they affected industrial costs. If this was $o, Mr. Callaghan has boobed, because the road vehicle impost has certainly done that.
And while Mr. Brown is busy getting employers and unions to agree to restrain prices and wages, Mr. Callaghan is in there deliberately putting them up.