War Over Dery Tax Declared on Chancellor
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By our Parliamentary Correspondent
THE campaign for a Budget reduction in the rate of tax on . dery has -started. Last week Mr. Anthony Barber, Economic Secretary, to the Treasury, answered Commons questions about the tax, and the following day he listened to the -views of a deputation from the Joint Fuel Tax Committee for the Passenger Road Transport Industry.
Speaking in the House, Mr. Barber told Mr. Frank Allaun (Labour, Salford East) that representations for a reduction in the taxhad been received from the Joint Fuel Tax Committee and other .sources.
Mr. Allan° said that this tax of Zs. 6d. a gallon, or 200 per cent, of the basic cost, had been responsible for the steady contraction of bus • services and the increase in fares. It was a shocking anornaly that while oil for other purposes was entirely tax free, oil for bus services was burdened with this heavy tax.
A national campaign against the fuel tax has been launched by the Joint Fuel Tax Committee for the Passenger Road Transport Industry.. A -specially prepared leaflet, "The Tax on Bus Travel.," has been sent to .every local authority and every rural and urban district council in the country urging them to support the campaign, which is backed by the four Main operator asSoclations, the M.P.T.A., the P.T.A., the P.V.O.A., and the Scottish R.P.T.A.
The leaflet asks councils to pass resolutions condemning the tax and to send copies of the resolutions to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Members of Parliament.