Compulsory UK licensing for boat owners to reduce illegal immigrants

[Deleted User YDKXO]

In yet another 'you couldnt make it up moment' there is a report in today's Times saying that the Home Office is considering making it mandatory for anyone buying a boat in the UK to have a boating licence. Apparently this is in order to discourage people buying boats to carry illegal immigrants across the Channel ?

Quite how making boat owners in, say, Wales or Scotland have a licence will discourage illegal immigrants is beyond me. Lets hope that Patel gets the boot in the much mooted forthcoming cabinet reshuffle and this crass idea gets the kicked into the long grass

 

[superheat6k]

Perhaps they should ask the French to investigate the folk importing and selling small inflatable boats - oh yes that would be Macron Ltd !

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Perhaps they should ask the French to investigate the folk importing and selling small inflatable boats - oh yes that would be Macron Ltd !

I think you misunderstand. According to the report an increasing number of boats carrying illegals were bought in the UK. How are the French supposed to stop that?

 

[ashtead]

Don’t need to worry now as they will all have read the website and know how to file their forms and make the telephone call when arriving.

 

[Momac]

Criminals are hardly likely to be bothered by license requirements.

 

[ShaneAtSea]

It things like this that reassures me that my decision to move to America is a good one.....our country has swiftly moved from a nanny state to a police state

 

[penfold]

Criminals are hardly likely to be bothered by license requirements.

Much like firearms legislation post-Dunblane it would just serve as an impediment and cost to the law-abiding; legislating by tabloid fiat is a terrible idea. Patel is a particularly stupid breed of fascist.

 

[ashtead]

Criminals are hardly likely to be bothered by license requirements.

So can someone remind me what the purpose of all this form filling is supposed to be ?

 

[lynallbel]

Look at that womans eyes then ask yourself, what exactly has she got in her mouth!

 

[volvopaul]

It’s more likely an HMRC investigation with owners admitting they can afford to purchase and run such an expensive toy .

I remember being told many years back when they investigated a very well known south coast marina , they walked in and demanded the Client list , inspected quite a few boats , that’s when shall we say the crap hit the fan for a lot of people .

I know of a few that ended up paying back massive chunks of money back from the likes of Benefit kind laws.
You have been warned.

 

[longjohnsilver]

It’s more likely an HMRC investigation with owners admitting they can afford to purchase and run such an expensive toy .

I remember being told many years back when they investigated a very well known south coast marina , they walked in and demanded the Client list , inspected quite a few boats , that’s when shall we say the crap hit the fan for a lot of people .

I know of a few that ended up paying back massive chunks of money back from the likes of Benefit kind laws.
You have been warned.

Data protection should prevent that happening now.

 

[[2068]]

Data protection should prevent that happening now.

”HMRC has recently beefed up its powers to demand “bulk” information from businesses or government agencies”

Ten ways HMRC checks if you’re cheating - FT.com

 

[Capt Popeye]

Data protection should prevent that happening now.

Well would that apply to a Govt organisation, like the Inland Revenue ?

Know of a Marina many years ago now, that were inspected , of sorts, HMRC looking into possibly Money Laundering activities .

We have been warned so should be wary in future as to how we pay for such boats purchased ?

Paying in Cash or Large part Cash may not be an option ?

Plus providing a name and address thats certified as correct /

Maybe a bgr but it just might do some real good, in preventing Crimes

 

[Rangerman]

In yet another 'you couldnt make it up moment' there is a report in today's Times saying that the Home Office is considering making it mandatory for anyone buying a boat in the UK to have a boating licence. Apparently this is in order to discourage people buying boats to carry illegal immigrants across the Channel ?

Quite how making boat owners in, say, Wales or Scotland have a licence will discourage illegal immigrants is beyond me. Lets hope that Patel gets the boot in the much mooted forthcoming cabinet reshuffle and this crass idea gets the kicked into the long grass

Well that's our useless home secretary for you, Done absolutely nothing in her whole term in office. Come on Boris get rid of her!

 

[oldbloke]

It things like this that reassures me that my decision to move to America is a good one.....our country has swiftly moved from a nanny state to a police state

I think you will find that in the land of the free, boating and boaters are already highly regulated by the paramilitary US Coastguard in

 

[volvopaul]

Data protection should prevent that happening now.

I doubt HMRC have to abide by any ruling when they want to know something you have to tell them .

 

[Portofino]

Bear in mind it’s all the other way round , you have to prove to them your financial stuff ( part of which is correct tax paid ) is in order .Effectively you are guilty in there eyes until you prove how you have funded in this case a boat .Onus is on you to show the none culpable paper trail .More like your accountant or the services of a professional.
You can get insurance for inland revenue investigations , something like£ 2-300 for £50/70 K s worths of fees .
They once they start digging can and do fly off at any tangent or in this case pick up on invoices for the boat being shoved through the books .This is on top of where the money came from to buy the thing in the first place .

Just sat on the fly bridge gin + tonic in hand expecting to hide behind data protection is not gonna cut it .

You will be lumped with a tax demand and as I say have to work ( your professorial accountants ) backwards to refute it ....or not as the case maybe .
HMRC will await your explanations and workings where you got the £ .

 

[Capt Popeye]

Might mention that; some time ago now I took Payment for a large RiB that a fella had ordered from the Chandlery, I was informed that the RiB was in stock now so advise the Fella thats its here for him to Pay /Collect ;

Well this Fella, looking like a Builder, with dirty overalls and trousers; he started to count out the Money with which he was paying, declining a Care Payment as not necessary; onto the Counter in 10- 20 notes; the payment value was £3,995 pounds

WE bagged it all up and placed it into the night safe, along with the Bill copy

Next Day when the Marina Director came to check the previous days takings, he came back out of the Office with a somewhat ashen colourd face; asking in a shaking voice when and how did the Fella pay for it; when informed in Cash, the Director stated with a quivering voice (which is certainly not his normal voice) that we must be very very carefull in future about accepting a Cash Payment of High Value as it prompts the HMRC to investigate for money laundering; they (he) had been warned by HMRC about it where Boats are concerned; The absolute cash limit was fixed at £4,000 so we were only £5 beneath that figure ; cripes a near miss

Might then mention that the £4 K limit (at that time) would enable a Fast Rib to be purchased without an O/B , so two transactions at different Marinas would have enabled the Builder Fella to start up transporting 'others accross' the Channel

So its not just larger expensive Boats that are capable of making the journey without causing a fuss

 

[MapisM]

It things like this that reassures me that my decision to move to America is a good one.....our country has swiftly moved from a nanny state to a police state

Say what you wish of the UK, but I don't think the only Country in the history of mankind who went from barbarism to decadence skipping civilization in between is a so much better benchmark.

PS: assuming that by "America" you actually meant the US of A, as most folks there normally do.
If by chance you were actually talking of Canada, or any other Country in Central or S America, forget my comment.

 

[stelican]

It’s more likely an HMRC investigation with owners admitting they can afford to purchase and run such an expensive toy .

I remember being told many years back when they investigated a very well known south coast marina , they walked in and demanded the Client list , inspected quite a few boats , that’s when shall we say the crap hit the fan for a lot of people .

I know of a few that ended up paying back massive chunks of money back from the likes of Benefit kind laws.
You have been warned.

Yes we had them in and they had a list !