Internet Tax

[alan_driver]

Sorry if this has been mentioned before, but i heard that the trusty old gov are planning on putting tax on everything bought on the internet. (maybe to help high street shops)
Anyone know anything about this?

[alan_driver]

Come on mrs fish, YOU must know!

[agent006]

Yep, roumour has it they'll be taxing oxygen next week too.

[JonRB]

Cue Monty Python sketch about taxing 'thingy'.

Click here



>> Edited by JonRB on Thursday 10th April 22:14

[paolow]

its called VAT?
i think we can file this with their idea of charging per page impression, for a country so keen on technology and the wonder of the web this can on only be bollox.

(i hope)

[wedg1e]

paolow said: its called VAT?
i think we can file this with their idea of charging per page impression, for a country so keen on technology and the wonder of the web this can on only be bollox.

(i hope)

There's a story (oft repeated ;-) ) there...

My soon-to-be-ex-wife (may she rot in hell) landed a job as manager of a computer learning centre in Tony B. Liar's constituency. Part of the great Labour scheme of things was that all and sundry should be PC literate, so they instigated the formation of tie-ups between educatin and industry to create these learning centres - I'm sure you've sen them about.
Anyway, one day she got a phone call from the PM's personal secretary (Hilary Coffman, Kaufman, summat like that) saying that Tony would be coming along to perform an official opening of the centre (this was months after it actually opened). She didn't believe the call was kosher, but sure enough a couple of hours later MI5 turned up and started checking the place and people out.
So on the appointed day, Tony turns up and cuts the ribbon (the 'secret' ceremony was of coursed leaked to the press and TV in advance).
Months passed, and another phone call: "We think it would be a good idea if Tony actually enrolled and did one of your courses."
So he turned up (with press and TV entourage) and duly worked through a couple of Word exercises, sent Cherry an email and everyone smiled and said what a clever boy he is. Hmmm.
Now: the rules of the Government funding went something like this. A student enrolls for a course of (IIRC) 40 hours. This is broken into 2 hour sessions. For every hour an arse is on a seat, HM Govt. paid the centre £15. If the student repeatedly failed to attend st the appointed time, the centre was to send warning letters. If still no attendance, the student would be removed and the Govt. advised that their funding wasn't required. I've no doubt that this system was as abused as a 9-year-old at Gary Glitter's Cambodian Christmas Carol Concert, but I digress.
Anyway, Tony of course never went back, and somewhere I think I still have a copy of the letter which reads :
"Dear Mr. Liar, we note from our records that, despite several attempts to confirm whether you still wish to attend xxx course at xxx centre, you have not responded either way. We therefore have no option under Government rules but to assume you no longer wish to complete the course, and have consequently removed you from our records".

Ian

[corozin]

Well what the Gov't says & what the Gov't does regarding such things as "leading the world in e-commerce" are different things.

Take for example the setting of a goal circa 1998 for the UK to lead the way in Europe in IT/Information business, followed by the "action" double whammy of introducing the IR35 rules for IT professionals combined with opening the floodgates for importing foreign resource (thereby driving down pay even further).

Thanks guys...