Isle of Man reciprocal health agreement to end

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From isleofman.com:

"The Chief Minister told the house that despite the concerns expressed by the Isle of Man delegation, the UK Department of Health confirmed its consistent position that the UK-IOM Reciprocal Health Agreement will terminate at the end of March this year, their view being that the agreement is not in the interests of the UK taxpayer."

Get your health insurance before visiting this year.

Dave

 

[Tin Tin]

IIRC the Channel Islands reciprocal health agreement wasn't renewed either some months ago.

 

[Seven Spades]

Sounds good in theory

But as a tax pay I doubt that any IOM or Channel Island residents will pay anything for UK healthcare. In practice the only losers will be us because we will all pay when overseas.

 

[guernseyman]

It is not at all clear which side gains most from the reciprocal health agreement - which is more properly known as the bilateral healthcare agreement.

Viewed from south of the sceptred isle, the unilateral disagreement (if that is the right word) is only the most recent of a series of abrupt decisions made without consultation.

 

[Ubergeekian]

Viewed from south of the sceptred isle, the unilateral disagreement (if that is the right word) is only the most recent of a series of abrupt decisions made without consultation.

I think it's a response to the perceived tax statuses of our smaller island neighbours. Another turn of the screw ...

 

[Ludd]

I think it's a response to the perceived tax statuses of our smaller island neighbours. Another turn of the screw ...

I note the term "perceived"! It's easy to forget that the people who benefit most from the tax benefits have least interest in healthcare for the general public.

 

[guernseyman]

I think it's a response to the perceived tax statuses of our smaller island neighbours. Another turn of the screw ...

As far as I understand 'perceived tax statuses', I am not convinced that is what is driving Westminster.

If it is a reference to tax legislation empowering our offshore finance industries, then Westminster is largely uncaring as the City is a major beneficiary. It is elements in the EC and OECD who seem offended by us as non-EC possessions of the English Crown running offshore finance on their doorstep.

Westminster itself also cares little about our use of the De Minimis VAT provision, although it does not like it when UK businesses complain loudly, particularly when the Jersey government touts for UK businesses to take advantage of the letter of the law, not fulfilling the spirit.

Indeed, I think that Westminster's behaviour originates in events prior to both those activities. Notably, twice in the last century Westminster tried to tax the two Bailiwicks, and twice the attempts were thwarted. On the first occasion in the early 1920s, the so-called 'Imperial Contribution' was rejected by Guernsey. There was never a reply to our counter offer of a one-off payment.

The mindset of the islanders is not to take too much nonsense from Westminster. Independence, or at any rate a re-alignment with the Crown, is an active political concept in both Bailiwicks in recent years. Personally, I think a negotiated treaty with the EU, such as several other mini states have, would be a more practical solution. But unless it has been done in secret, that avenue seems not to have been explored.

 

[guernseyman]

I think it's a response to the perceived tax statuses of our smaller island neighbours. Another turn of the screw ...

As far as I understand 'perceived tax statuses', I am not convinced that is what is driving Westminster.

If it is a reference to tax legislation empowering our offshore finance industries, then Westminster is largely uncaring as the City is a major beneficiary. It is elements in the EC and OECD who seem offended by us as non-EC possessions of the English Crown running offshore finance on their doorstep.

Westminster itself also cares little about our use of the De Minimis VAT provision, although it does not like it when UK businesses complain loudly, particularly when the Jersey government touts for UK businesses to take advantage of the letter of the law, not fulfilling the spirit.

Indeed, I think that Westminster's behaviour originates in events prior to both those activities. Notably, twice in the last century Westminster tried to tax the two Bailiwicks, and twice the attempts were thwarted. On the first occasion in the early 1920s, the so-called 'Imperial Contribution' was rejected by Guernsey. There was never a reply to our counter offer of a one-off payment.

The mindset of the islanders is not to take too much nonsense from Westminster. Independence, or at any rate a re-alignment with the Crown, is an active political concept in both Bailiwicks in recent years. Personally, I think a negotiated treaty with the EU, such as several other mini states have, would be a more practical solution. But unless it has been done in secret, that avenue seems not to have been explored.