There will be a few MoJ apparatchiks who do not sleep all that well for the next week or two.
When setting the rates for JPS' travel expenses, the amounts were traditionally adjusted each year, usually with reference to the price of petrol, When petrol shot up a few years ago, the MoJ rate remained stubbornly fixed. Finally, new costs forced the mileage rate for a 1600cc car up to its present 58p per mile , which is on the high side these days. But if the MoJ wants to lower the rate in response to the oil glut, it will have trouble refusing to do the converse when the market moves, as it one day will.
Musings and Snippets from a recently retired JP. I served for 31 years, mostly in west London. I was Chairman of my Bench for some years, and a member of the National Bench Chairmen's Forum All cases are based on real ones, but anonymised and composited. All opinions are those of one or more individuals. JPs swear to enforce the law of the land, whether or not they approve of it. Nothing on here constitutes legal advice.
You've blown it Bystander - I have been thinking the same for some weeks, but hoped that nobody in Whitehall would notice. We fought long and hard when diesel approached £1.50 this time last year, but nobody outside county level wanted to know. Here's hoping that the bean counters don't notice your piece...
ReplyDeleteBystander had blown it, DDJ's get 45p !
ReplyDeleteBut they also get a salary, pension scheme and paid holiday.
ReplyDeleteIf Magistrates car allowances were set at the HMRC standard it would be simple and automatic.
ReplyDeleteIn addition,if anyone claims more than 45p (or the HMRC amount at the time), they would not be covered by the Insurance Industry agreements on driving in connection with Volunteering and ma have to pay more for insurance (https://www.abi.org.uk/~/media/Files/Documents/Publications/Public/Migrated/Motor/Volunteer%20driving%20-%20the%20motor%20insurance%20commitment.pdf)