Any pre-Budget advice for the PM?

Any pre-Budget advice for the PM?

Didn't find your answer?

The prime minister has urged the private sector to provide ideas for reducing restrictions on business and promoting growth.

What ideas would you put forward to the PM?

In line with the government's crowd-sourcing approach to policy consultations, we will compile the most popular ideas into an AccountingWEB agenda for change and forward them to Downing Street for consideration.

Click here to participate in the AccountingWEB Budget discussion group.

Replies (8)

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By frustratedwithhmrc
08th Mar 2011 14:20

Scrap National Insurance

Employer's NI is effectively a tax on jobs and Employees NI is effectively a hidden form of income tax. These should both be scrapped and the rates adjusted to make them revenue neutral. This would also obliterate the need for various anti-avoidance measures like IR35.

However, this would take incredible political will and I don't think 'Call Me' Dave has the backbone (if indeed he has ANY backbone).

The problem with this approach is that it would highlight to everyone exactly how much is ACTUALLY being stolen from their meagre wages to fund the Government.

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By Steve Holloway
08th Mar 2011 14:30

You never know!

Todays story is the flat rate pension which obviously does away with the need for contribution history via the NI system. Perhaps an announcement on NIC's is on the cards even if it is phased in over a period of time?

BTW - I think you have it wrong about this government - I think they see the 'mess' they inherited as a once in a generation chance to perform large scale reform. I might be wrong but I think we will look back on the decade starting with the crash as the biggest period of change in our life-times. I think we will look back at the role of the state like we did in the 1990's at the role of the unions in the pre-thatcher 1980's.

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By cymraeg_draig
08th Mar 2011 14:58

Not "red tape" but vital -

Having several clients in the haulage business it's very clear to me that something must be done about fuel duty and fast.

Tinkering about with scrapping Labours planned 1p above inflation rise is not going to solve anything. The fuel stabaliser is urgently needed, and, in my opinion, it needs to cap fuel at around £1.20/£1.25 a litre which will mean the government losing about 30p a litre in tax. 

Does any government have the courage to do that ???????

The alternative wil be rampant inflation as hauliers are already having to increase their prices which means everything must go up. I know one person who drives 50 miles each way to work, and who has already calculated that he would be no worse of by simply going on the dole.

Whatever they do about red tape, taxes, etcetera will be meaningless if transport costs are not reduced, and fast.

 

 

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By Steve Holloway
08th Mar 2011 15:13

.. but they won't be losing duty if prices increase ...

as surely tax take predictions were based on perhaps 1.15 per litre so they should be well in the bunce at the moment? I think the stabliser could be structured such that they appear to be giving something away that they never counted on having top start with ... everyone is a winner!

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By frustratedwithhmrc
08th Mar 2011 15:41

Why not go the whole hog and have a fuel de-escalator

Gradually reducing the combination of tax and duty on petrol to some nominal level.

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By mickeyparish
11th Mar 2011 12:55

Make business more efficient by scrapping Intrastat

Scrap Intrastat !  It serves no useful purpose.  We don't have trade statistics for movements between Scotland and England, nor between Yorkshire and Lancashire, and we manage very well without them.  If the EU really is a single market there is no sense in having trade statistics;  the bureaucrats just can't let go of the information, that's all.  If I didn't spend a day a month doing Intrastat, I would immediately be 5% more efficient and productive.

 

MIckey Parish

 

 

 

 

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By frustratedwithhmrc
11th Mar 2011 13:48

Scrapping Intrastat will never happen - it's mandated by our REA

Intrastat is an EU requirement (as was the introduction of VAT), which is the basis of much of the funding for the EU beauracracy. The only way "Call Me" Dave could get rid of it is to leave the EU.

Not much chance of that given the present Cobbleition Government.

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By thomas.peterson
11th Mar 2011 16:01

Even easier

Nick Clegg is/will be about 400 metres from me today and the barriers put up to stop protestors are pitifull.  How's about I vault over them, wander into City Hall and pass him a print out of this thread?

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