Fuel tax revenue (FOI)

Request

Since the introduction of the extra tax on fuel to cover the cost of the now defunct Jersey road tax, could you provide me with the following figures?

A

A year by year breakdown of the tax collected from the introduction to the latest figures available;

B

A year by year breakdown of the money spent on the upkeep of our roads, and so on, that have been funded by this tax.

Response

A

A similar question was asked in the States Assembly in July 2011 and the question and response can be found at the following link:

Written Question 1240/5(6419)

That answer outlined details of the additional Impots duty on motor fuel with effect from the beginning of 1994 following the abolition of Motor Tax in December 1993 (for the avoidance of doubt – Impots duty on fuel was in existence alongside Motor Tax pre-1994). Whilst the additional yield from the increased duty compensated almost exactly for the loss in revenue from the abolition of the Motor Tax at that time, it was not ring-fenced for any specific purpose (such as the upkeep of the roads). Since then, all Impots duties (including duty on motor fuel) have been considered in the annual budget and are varied accordingly. These duties when received – along with other revenues received by the Government of Jersey (eg tax revenue) contribute to the States’ central funds from which amounts required for the upkeep of roads, and so on, are allocated annually by the Assembly, taking account of money available.

The total annual yield from Impots on motor fuel is provided in the States of Jersey annual report and accounts which are available on the Government of Jersey website at:

States of Jersey Accounts

and are summarised in the following table:

B

There is no specific tax that funds road maintenance. This is funded out of general Government revenue and capital (infrastructure maintenance) budgets. The figures below provide details of money spent on road maintenance over the last twelve years.  

Article applied

Article 23 Information accessible to applicant by other means

(1) Information is absolutely exempt information if it is reasonably available to the applicant, otherwise than under this Law, whether or not free of charge.

(2) A scheduled public authority that refuses an application for information on this ground must make reasonable efforts to inform the applicant where the applicant may obtain the information.