Tax on domestic waste proposed

A few weeks ago, we mentioned this Government's latest trick: using the environment as a pretext to raise taxes.     

Even so, the Fisherman was shocked to read in this morning's Telegraph about (no longer) secret Government plans to tax household waste. According to the report, the tax could be as high as £120 per year.

Just one question. Precisely what are the exceedingly high council tax charges we already pay supposed to cover, then? If we are now to pay a separate charge for having our bins emptied, one must wonder what we have been paying for all this time.

This has gone beyond normal taxation. This is theft, pure and simple.

Quite apart from that, has the Government considered the public health implications of levying a separate tax on rubbish collection? Have they not considered that some families may be tempted to avoid the charge by putting out their rubbish less frequently, or even by flytipping? Are they prepared to deal with the consequences that would arise from such actions?

It would come as no surprise to readers that the Government is denying the reports. This time, though, the denial is even less emphatic than usual. According to a Government spokesman, "there are no current plans to introduce a tax on household rubbish". That tells us all we need to know.