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Reader panel: Budget verdict
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2. Plastic bags are to be taxed from 2009; taxes will rise for gas guzzlers but fall for low polluting cars; and new homes are to be carbon-neutral from 2016. Did the Chancellor do enough in his budget for the environment?
Robert: Like many others, we use supermarket bags to line our waste bin. If we don't get a "free" bag with our shopping, we will have to buy pedal-bin liners. The only difference will be that the supermarket makes even more profit. Supermarket packaging is far worse for the environment than bio-degradable carrier bags. As for other measures, the Chancellor was entirely predictable, raising fuel taxes rather than banning big cars and raising airport taxes rather than putting a halt to airport expansion. The whole thing is a PR exercise in hypocrisy.
Victoria (pictured): No. Another token gesture. Increasing the tax on gas-guzzlers is overly simplistic. Farmers drive Land Rovers because they need them, they’re hardly wealthy and taxing them heavily is ridiculous. The people who can afford to drive Chelsea Tractors can afford the tax hike: I can’t see them suddenly abandoning them in favour of Smart cars. I would like to see tax incentives to renovate existing homes rather than making it cheaper to demolish them and build new ones.
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Matthew: It's never enough, but these are very sensible steps. I notice he did what I suggested (although I am not suggesting a causal link here!) in that these were “revenue neutral” – not higher overall, but using the tax system to encourage more environmentally responsible behaviour. I think the tax system should go further in this respect. Plastic bags should be taxed out of existence.
Leal: Overall I am quite pleased with the environmental policies outlined by the Chancellor. The reform to excise duty in order to encourage people to drive clean cars is a good example of policy which provides an incentive for people to change their behaviour rather than a punishment. I applaud the plastic bag charge in the sense that all revenues will be dedicated to green charities or projects.
