BAA fights aggies tax again

The British Aggregates Association (BAA) has lodged a complaint with the European Commission against the government's proposed relief from the Aggregates Levy in Northern Ireland.

The BAA has asked the Commission to investigate the proposals may be illegal.

BAA director Robert Durward said: "We are sympathetic to the very serious problems the Levy has caused for quarry operators in Northern Ireland. But we are concerned that most of these problems apply across the UK and have not been properly addressed.

"We recognise that our objection could delay or prevent the proposed new relief scheme in Northern Ireland, which could have helped stop some of the damage done by the Levy in Northern Ireland.  But we believe that continuing our legal challenge to the levy, based on compelling evidence that it is not protecting the environment, and is in some ways harming the environment across the UK, is the best way to protect the interests of both the environment and independent quarry operators," he said.