Tax breaks under fire

Date: 08/02/1996

Is nothing sacred? A Euro MP has launched a campaign to try to ban tax-free petrol for the Parliament's highest-paid officials. The perk, which cuts the cost of up to 100 litres of leaded or unleaded fuel every month, is available to those who need it least, as is often the way with perks.

Dutch Green MEP Nel van Dijk has written to Parliament President Klaus Hänsch suggesting that it is wrong for A1, A2 and A3 grades to receive such benefits, a point she also raised with former President Egon Klepsch, without much response.

Hänsch is obviously more a man of the people - he has promised to take the matter up with the other institutions with a view to ending the practice across the board.

But that begs the question of what will happen to the other tax allowances awarded to senior officials for purchases of cars, fridges, and other household appliances...