Response to the UK Government Budget

["greenbase" <greenbas@gb.greenpeace.org>]

RESPONSE TO THE UK GOVERNMENT BUDGET:

UK, March 17, 1998 - Responding to today's budget, Greenpeace
Campaign Director Sarah Burton said, "The Government has opened
its heart to the environment but not its wallet".

Greenpeace said of environmental measures within the budget,
that the Chancellor had failed to bite the bullet, coming up
with few significant measures to green the country's
fiscal policy. 


On the announcement of a consultation process on North Sea oil
taxation, however, Greenpeace welcomed the Chancellor's move to
open up the murky world of oil taxation policy.
Sarah Burton said, "At a time when climate protection requires
less oil and not more, the current offshore tax regime
subsidises the dash for new oil in the deep oceans. It
does not secure significant economic benefit for the public
purse from existing oil production. We expect Gordon Brown to
examine the green implications of any oil tax regime
as part of this consultation."

Greenpeace on the Internet at http://www.greenpeace.org