Ports Tax

Peter Aldous condemns retrospective "Ports Tax" - backdated business rates for firms based in ports.

At a time when many firms, through no fault of their own, are struggling to make ends meet, Gordon Brown's new "Ports Tax", in the form of backdated business rates for firms based in ports such as Lowestoft, is an unnecessary and unwanted financial burden.

Following decisions made when Gordon Brown was Chancellor, the Government has changed the way that business rates are calculated for ports - taxing individual firms rather than the port operator [Associated British Ports]. Instead of introducing the new system at the next rates revaluation, firms in the port are to be hit with unexpected bills backdated to 2005.

This is an unexpected tax change that firms could do without. Despite being defeated in the House of Lords, the Governnment appear hell-bent on pressing ahead with this retrospective tax with inadequate warning, having neither carried out an impact assessment nor considered the harmful effects on the local economy.

These tax changes should be scrapped, with any reforms to the rating system for ports only taking place after proper consultation and with advance warning for businesses. In these difficult times the Government should be reducing unnecessary burdens on small businesses, not imposing more, which make it more difficult to continue and to retain jobs.

Peter Aldous
Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Waveney
Wissett, Halesworth, Suffolk, IP19 0RA