Magazine Page 34 HORSE TAX - Latest Update, July 2010 GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCEMENT

The new Coalition Goverment has announced it is to develop a 'new approach' to strategies for Responsibility and Cost Sharing in animal health. Previous proposals relating to RCS included a 'Horse Tax'. Widespread concern and opposition led to two 10 Downing Street petitions. The first, to scrap plans for a horse tax, started by Natalie Marks, attracted 5677 signatures. The other one started by Johathan Ware of the British Horse Industry Confederation, which called for a Government re-think on plans for additional charges on horse owners, had 12911 signatories. HMG has issued the following statement:
  "Concerns have been raised by horse owners and the horse industry about the previous Government’s proposals on Responsibility and Cost Sharing (RCS), particularly the establishment of an independent body for animal health. The previous Government’s proposals will not be taken forward by the Coalition Government [which is] committed to investigating ways to share with livestock keepers the responsibility of preparing for and dealing with outbreaks of animal disease. Jim Paice, Minister of State for Agriculture and Food, met Rosemary Radcliffe, the independent Chair of the RCS Advisory Group, of which Tim Morris of the British Horse Industry Confederation is a member, earlier this month. The Advisory Group will report their findings to Ministers in December 2010. The Coalition Government will draw closely upon the Group’s advice in developing a new approach to RCS."
  To see details of the petitions click on  http://www.hmg.gov.uk/epetition-responses/petition-view.aspx?epref=ntht09  and
http://www.hmg.gov.uk/epetition-responses/petition-view.aspx?epref=Horse-Rethink  For more extensive historical and background information on the proposals for a Horse Tax see Magazine Page 11. We shall add further updates to this page as more news becomes available.
Posted 30.7.10.