Petrol Receipts

The price at the pump has hit £1.20, of which about 45p goes to the retailer and the oil company and the rest, approx 75p per litre goes to the Government in VAT and fuel duty.

The Government has the power to bring down the price at the pump but it will not as this is views as a "green tax" and they, plus the opposition parties will not do anything to anger the Green Lobby, even if it would make a very real and very helpful hand to business and families alike.

My solution is neither original nor will it bring down the prices right away.  We should as voters demand it be law that all receipts issued by cashiers should itemise what you have just handed money over for, be it VAT or Fuel Duty; whether you are filling up your car, or buying a meal in a restaurant or buying a few bottles of cider at the supermarket.

The result, I would hypothesise would be that people would start to see how much they are handing over in indirect taxations, and that would in turn bring into the debate in clearer terms such duties as is levied on fuel, on cigarettes, the tax we pay when we eat out and when we buy a round of drinks.  Perhaps if people could see that for every £50 of petrol that goes in the car £34 was heading to Westminster there would be more debate on excessive, and largely hidden taxation.