Letter: Save your energy

Sir: I was delighted to read that the Chancellor seems to be making the first logical step towards changing the current labour-centred tax system to one based on energy. He should go further, and faster, and with more thought. Simply taxing industry is wrong and counter-productive. The essence of energy taxation should be that it be fiscally neutral, apply to all, and be rebated on exports (like VAT).

Our institute has long supported the idea of a reduction in labour taxes (like VAT, corporation tax, social security charges and income tax) in favour of raising the same revenue from energy. This is known as Unitax, and there is a Unitax Association campaigning on these ideas.

It can be shown that such a tax would be of immense advantage to exporters, and offer employers a far easier life and a genuine encouragement to employ.

After all, energy is a finite resource. People are renewable, and jobs scarce.

Professor MALCOLM SLESSER

Resource Use Institute Ltd

Edinburgh

Sir: There are two very basic steps we could take to beat global warming, if only the Government could be bothered.

a) Enforce existing speed limits. Fitting 70mph speed limiters to all cars would reduce fuel consumption from road traffic, as well as making public transport journeys more competitive by comparison time-wise, all at zero cost to the Exchequer. But of course no one wants to do anything that might interfere with Middle England's right to break the law.

b) Enforce existing heating limits. It is illegal to heat offices beyond 19C, yet every office I have ever visited is over-heated, and no one wants to know.

When are the authorities going to give up pontificating and actually apply some of their own laws and common sense?