BAA issues rallying call

"WITH HM Customs and Excise registration questionnaires starting to drop through quarry letterboxes, the British Aggregates Association is calling on all quarry companies to play a more active part in the fight against the aggregates tax.

Even though the Government shows little sign of relenting, the BAA is still convinced the tax can be beaten if the industry keeps up the pressure. But the Association is concerned about the apparent lack of urgency in some quarters of the quarrying community.

BAA director Robert Durward said: 'Although a number of quarry companies are strongly supporting the campaign for a rethink, far too many operators still have their heads firmly buried in the sand.

'Since its inception, the BAA has given the Government a clear and consistent message that the tax is quite contrary to national interest. Indeed, since the research upon which the tax is based is non-scientific and does not take into account the environmental benefits or the need for mineral extraction, it could be considered to be a contravention of our human rights,' he said.

'The tax will not achieve any environmental improvements but it will cause the closure of many small companies, throw many people out of work, damage competition, increase imports and cost the country a fortune.'

Although the Treasury has recently requested additional information on the scale of the damage envisaged, perhaps providing the industry with a glimmer of hope, Mr Durward said much hard work still needed to be done and that the time for action was fast running out."