An Idea to encourage economic recovery

I have an idea of how some restoration of growth could be made in the near future by our new coalition government. I have lots of ideas about how wastage could be stopped, for example by scrapping Ofsted, which would release enough funds to provide an extra 5,000 secondary teachers apparently. Also, head teachers who go around bossing other head teachers and hampering them in the demanding jobs they are involved in. They can do without the stress of the extra interference which also stifles creative thinking 'on their feet'.

Anyway, I intend to put forward these suggestions with a host of others when we are given the opportunity to have our say shortly.

My main idea which I wish to propose to stimulate economic growth is the lowering of the duty levied on car fuel, petrol and diesel in particular, I don't know enough to comment on alternative fuels being used and trialled at the moment, I know some of them are more efficient and don't carry the iniquitous amount of duty we pay on petrol and diesel.

I welcome the proposed re-introduction of the fuel stabilizer whereby the Government collects more tax when the fuel price is lower and less tax when the price is higher. This helps the public sector, but to be really radical I think fuel should be well under £1.00 a litre. Remember how shocked we were when it went above £1.00, those days are now fond memories now that we pay over £6.00 per gallon for our fuel.

By having one lot of duty only, either VAT or fuel duty, rather than both, there is scope for some reduction. By lowering taxes it has often been found that the general tax take overall is increased. I, like a large number of my friends and relatives, use my one car (down from 2 cars a year or so ago) as little as I possibly can. Wherever possible I walk or cycle and delight in the benefit this does to my health at the same time, I have lost a lot of weight as a result. My one car does about 56 mpg on the combined cycle and the tax disc costs me £30.00 per year!

If we all did our little bit, cut out unnecessary car journies like the school runs when the school is very nearby, did car pooling to get to work, etc. we could send a very strong signal to the new coalition who are also not very 'green conscious'. Also, think of the carcinogens in the car and lorry fuels we use! As a result of us thinking before we get behind the wheel each time, a great deal could be achieved, economically and to our health. All goods sent to shops could be lowered in price and we might actually be left with some disposable income to buy goods which are affordable. This could result in retailers doing better and taking on more needed staff, providing more jobs and, yes, generating more income tax!

I really believe that we have got it wrong at the moment and the only way forward I can see is to boycott buying fuel wherever we can to force the price downwards. I have heard that there are already tankers anchored offshore waiting to offload fuel because the refineries can't shift the fuel and the oil suppliers are greedy for oil prices to go up to feather their own nests. All this could damage our economy even more than it has been damaged over the last 13 years of new liebour.

Some of you may have other ideas about how we could regenerate the private sector, I would be interested to read your comments.