The government has issued a consultation on the  CRC scheme in response to recent stakeholder feedback about the complexity of the scheme.
 

The current timescales for the start of the CRC's second phase are such that insufficient time exists to action significant changes before April 2011 - the default start of phase two.

This consultation is therefore primarily focused on postponing the start of the second phase, in order to provide a window in which to complete the simplification review and draft appropriate amendments to the CRC Order.

You can find the consultation document here

The EAUC Board is aware of discontent in the sector with CRC losing its motivating payment recycling element and be reduced essentially to another tax. This could cost large Universities in the region of an additional £1M on their energy bills.

Some people are of the view that CRC should be scrapped as we already have an effective carbon tax in the form of the Climate Change Levy.

This consultation appears to be the only opportunity to recommend simplification of government processes (such as eliminating it altogether) and we need your views as members to put together a response from the EAUC.

The questions are as follows:

1 - Do you agree with Government's proposal to extend the introductory phase and the associated amendments?

2 - Do you agree with Government's proposal to remove the information disclosure requirement?

3 - Do you agree with Government's proposal to amend the landlord/ tenant rule in respect of Northern Ireland departments?

4 - Do you agree with Government's proposal to redistribute the
administrators' responsibilities?

5 - Do you agree with Government's proposal to update reference errors in the original order?

6 - Do you agree with Government's proposal to update the interpretation definitions?

Please note that the deadline for responses is the 13th December

Please respond to [email protected]