Air Ambulance

Message

Falcorob · #1 Post by **Falcorob** » Thu Mar 08, 2012 5:09 pm

Shamelessly lifted from Bikerbabble in aid of a good cause.

"Please may I bring to your attention a petition to encourage the Government to exempt Air Ambulance services from duty on the fuel they use, in the same way as the Lifeboats (RNLI) are exempt.

If we gain 100,000 signatures, Parliament is duty bound to debate the issue - currently we have over 15,000 signatures.

Thank you for your support for this magnificent volunteer funded service."

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/29349

Number of signatures at time of posting is over 21,000. We probably all know someone who has made use of the services of these fantastic people so every penny raised/saved is possibly money in the bank for one of us.

Cheers,

Rob.

HowardQ · #2 Post by **HowardQ** » Thu Mar 08, 2012 7:03 pm

Just signed Rob.

It's ridiculous taxing emergency services like this.

fatboy · #3 Post by **fatboy** » Thu Mar 08, 2012 7:17 pm

Signed
F.F.S.surely its common sense to give those guys a tax break

well worth lifting Rob

blinkey501 · #4 Post by **blinkey501** » Thu Mar 08, 2012 7:38 pm

Signed

Salty · #5 Post by **Salty** » Thu Mar 08, 2012 8:03 pm

Signed.

Just common sense ain't it?

D-Rider · #6 Post by **D-Rider** » Fri Mar 09, 2012 12:25 am

Agreed - why air ambulances and motorcycle bloodrunners are not publicly supported beats me. A tax break is the least they can do

MartDude · #7 Post by **MartDude** » Fri Mar 09, 2012 12:37 am

One hopes they won't respond by charging VAT on fuel for the RNLI. But I wouldn't put anything past our current masters in Westminster.

I suppose one advantage of not being publicly funded is that they can operate as they choose, rather than as a target-driven management would wish.

Samray · #8 Post by **Samray** » Fri Mar 09, 2012 12:44 am

MartDude wrote:One hopes they won't respond by charging VAT on fuel for the RNLI. But I wouldn't put anything past our current masters in Westminster.

My first thought too.

#9 Post by **Kwackerz** » Fri Mar 09, 2012 3:32 pm

Isnt aviation fuel tax exempt anyway?

or am I missing something...

??

2.2
What is the duty rate for Avtur?
Unmarked kerosene is normally liable to duty at the unrebated heavy oil rate. Marked kerosene is fully rebated and the duty rate is nil.
For quality and safety reasons, Avtur is subject to a general marking waiver. It is treated as an exception to the normal rules and is delivered through the supply chain fully rebated. In effect therefore, Avtur carries a nil rate of duty.

D-Rider · #10 Post by **D-Rider** » Fri Mar 09, 2012 3:57 pm

Kwackerz wrote:Isnt aviation fuel tax exempt anyway?

or am I missing something...

??

2.2
What is the duty rate for Avtur?
Unmarked kerosene is normally liable to duty at the unrebated heavy oil rate. Marked kerosene is fully rebated and the duty rate is nil.
For quality and safety reasons, Avtur is subject to a general marking waiver. It is treated as an exception to the normal rules and is delivered through the supply chain fully rebated. In effect therefore, Avtur carries a nil rate of duty.

Hmmm ... the gnome may have a point .....

Though one would have hoped that if someone started a campaign, they would have first made sure the problem they were seeking to correct was actually a problem in the first place

EDIT:
I've had a look on Wikipedia and found this:

Jet fuel used for international aviation attracts no duty, and no VAT.[7]

It seems that to avoid paying the tax, the air ambulance merely needs to take the long route to the hospital .... via another country.

How bizarre

BikerGran · #11 Post by **BikerGran** » Fri Mar 09, 2012 6:52 pm

I haven't signed the petition as I wasn't sure about it - I thought the air ambulance would be campaigning if it were true, but there's nothing on their website.

I emailed our local air ambulance but unfortuinately they haven't had the courtesy to reply.