More long term thinking from the government

PS_RalphW · Post by **PS_RalphW** » 31 Oct 2011, 11:59

On the same day the government announces cuts to the solar FIT scheme (which may be justified in the current economic status) it announces millions of £ in grants from the 'growth fund' to luxury gas guzzling car makers Bentley and Lotus, both of whom are doing very nicely thank you on the banker's bonus trade, anyway.

http://www.autoevolution.com/news/bentl ... 39972.html

Energy crisis? What energy crisis?

edit ILO: World economy on verge of new jobs recession

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15519699

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 31 Oct 2011, 22:27

Whatever the merits of the FiT rate, the government had promised that the rate would be unchanged till April 2012. Bringing that forward to 12th December 2011 in outrageous. Many companies will have made stock purchase commitments on the basis of government advice which has now changed.

snow hope · Post by **snow hope** » 31 Oct 2011, 22:56

biffvernon wrote:Whatever the merits of the FiT rate, the government had promised that the rate would be unchanged till April 2012. Bringing that forward to 12th December 2011 in outrageous. Many companies will have made stock purchase commitments on the basis of government advice which has now changed.

Quite agree Biff. This is completely unacceptable. (It has no effect on me.) If Govt. make definite statements / agreement on financial plans there is no excuse to break those agreements. They should be forced by court of law if need be to honour their original agreements.

Post by **kenneal - lagger** » 01 Nov 2011, 01:53

They have probably been frightened by the surge in orders as the deadline closes in. Judging by the number of people I have spoken to recently the surge must have been quite large.

There would be a good chance for some Green Taxation here. Increase the quite elastic tax rate on luxury cars and put the proceeds into the FIT fund. If you're paying several hundred thousand pounds for a car what's a few grand extra in tax.

DominicJ · Post by **DominicJ** » 01 Nov 2011, 08:39

Quite agree Biff. This is completely unacceptable. (It has no effect on me.) If Govt. make definite statements / agreement on financial plans there is no excuse to break those agreements. They should be forced by court of law if need be to honour their original agreements.

Its funny, when Labour ran roughshod over prior agreements, you all cheered, now its your plans that are getting screwed over, suddenly governments must be held to their promises!

You want an all powerful central government that can do as it wills, well, you have it, and now it wills screwing over people who bought solar panels expecting to profit from levies paid by the poor.

Paybacks a bitch.

lancasterlad · Post by **lancasterlad** » 01 Nov 2011, 08:54

DominicJ wrote:You want an all powerful central government that can do as it wills, well, you have it...

That's the last thing "I" want!

cubes · Post by **cubes** » 01 Nov 2011, 10:21

kenneal - lagger wrote:the FIT fund.

I didn't think the government was paying the FIT? Isn't it the energy companies? If so, maybe they put pressure on the government to reduce them?

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 01 Nov 2011, 11:52

Obviously.

http://www.transitionnc.org/node/105/2273#comment-2273

DominicJ · Post by **DominicJ** » 01 Nov 2011, 11:54

cubes wrote:
kenneal - lagger wrote:the FIT fund.
I didn't think the government was paying the FIT? Isn't it the energy companies? If so, maybe they put pressure on the government to reduce them?

I'm pretty sure FiTs are paid by the energy company, but they just pass the charge onto the customer, and the customer isnt happy about paying it.

Post by **kenneal - lagger** » 02 Nov 2011, 05:52

I know but that doesn't mean that the government couldn't contribute to the fund.