Comments for Ukdivingbrotherhood's Weblog

Comment on What is CSWIP up to? by memekev

memekev — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 21:46:57 +0000

When will you all realise that we guys are an easy touch. How many times does a heart surgeon has to go back to college to prove he can undertake his operations correctly.
If CSWIP are really interested in bettering inspection personnel, they should every 5 years introduce them to new inspection techniques. Has anyone seen their new building at Abingdon??

Comment on Change of Managment at Aquanos by memekev

memekev — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 21:36:10 +0000

Good old Arthur Daly and his two accomplices have made themselves bucketfuls of money. And so what if he was giving his femail general manger some experienced tutition, I’m sure she had her husbands approval for this career move. Nothing unusual for Arthur, he has helped numerous femails within his company accelerate up the inductry ladder through the desire to please. As the young lady with a counties name will confirm. She never looked back and was always willing to acomadate anyone who could further her career.
Then you had Arthurs right had man who would take their photos on the premise of a modelling contract.
The company has a few decades of goodwill and trust in the offshore industry, just ask Bluestream and Shires diving…

Comment on Aquanos by memekev

memekev — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 21:14:09 +0000

I expect that the old management walked away with their pockets full, leaving others to pick up the pieces and the bill

Comment on Legal duty to supply PPE by Frank Scurley

Frank Scurley — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 22:52:03 +0000

I don‘t know If I said it already but …Excellent site, keep up the good work. I read a lot of blogs on a daily basis and for the most part, people lack substance but, I just wanted to make a quick comment to say I’m glad I found your blog. Thanks,

…..Frank Scurley

Comment on Confused again by david shawyer

david shawyer — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:24:58 +0000

Following discussions with the seafarers unit at Centre 1 in East Kilbride I set out below a flier sent out to all our seafarer clients.

Dear Seafarer

There has been a recent Case (known as the Spowage Case) which has affected the availability of Seafarer’s Earnings Deduction (SED).

You will recall there was a previous Torr/Pride South America Case that restricted the availability of the relief, but there has been a relaxation of these rules as a result of the most recent Case.

For 2008/09 onwards, a vessel involved in duties not physically associated with oil or gas production (e.g. repairs carried out away from the wellhead and/or associated sub-sea equipment) will be regarded as a ship and SED will be due.

However, where a vessel is working in close association with a well and/or subsea equipment involved with the production of oil and gas (e.g. working down the well, pumping liquid into the well, removal and replacement of Xmas trees, and construction of manifolds) and is “standing” or “stationed” in any waters, then SED will not be due as the vessel will be regarded as an offshore installation.

There has been concern that once a vessel was regarded as an offshore installation, then SED would be withdrawn for the remainder of the tax year. However, we have been assured it would only be in very unusual circumstances that this would apply. (Such as where a vessel spent the greater majority of its time carrying out work alongside a well etc.) So, in most situations the SED will only not be due where a vessel:

1. Works in close proximity to a well and/or sub-sea equipment.
2. Is stationed there for more than 5 days – in which case the SED will only be disallowed for the period of time this work is carried out (and any leave time immediately thereafter).

Hopefully, in most cases, the practical effect of this will be that any earnings not eligible for relief will be covered by the personal allowance (£6,035 for 2008/09 and £6,475 for 2009/10), and so full tax refunds will be available.

If your Return is reviewed by the Revenue, they will probably ask for independent proof of whether the vessel has been stationed for more than 5 days. It would therefore be a good idea to obtain a statement from the Captain of the vessel along the lines of:

(Name of Ship)
(Date)

To whom it may concern,

As Master of the (ship), I confirm without prejudice, that (ship) has not undertaken any exploration of minerals whilst standing or stationary for more periods in excess of 120 hours during the tax year (2008/2009) and up to (date).

(Signature)
(Master/Captain)
(Ship)

Comment on ODIA Rates Nov 08 & April 09 by ukdivingbrotherhood

ukdivingbrotherhood — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 03:34:39 +0000

Ask your company.
If you don’t work for a UK NS company where did you get the rates you have from?

Comment on ODIA Rates Nov 08 & April 09 by Graham

Graham — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 13:37:34 +0000

Please can you tell me where an official copy of these rates can be found as they do not tie up with rates I have been told?

Thanks

Comment on Confused again by TomTom

TomTom — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 10:26:09 +0000

Seems some folk are easly confussed…Its good news that the HMRC have decided not to appeal against the Spowage & Others v HMRC case. The result being that the rules in deciding what is a ship for tax purposes, have been relaxed. The scare mongering that happened a few months ago, seems all but a faded memory.

Comment on Good news on SED appeal by ukdivingbrotherhood

ukdivingbrotherhood — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 07:02:13 +0000

I’ve spoken to the principal combatants in the RMT.
While Tax Services North have the cases to present to dispute HMRC denial for the individual for SED. The RMT do not.
However this issue will be discussed with HMRC at the next meeting at the end of the month and it will be interesting to get HMRC reaction as I suspect the Scottish office does not talk to the Whitehall office.

Comment on Good news on SED appeal by Dave

Dave — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 23:06:20 +0000

Now we need some one from the RMT to contact Tax Services North to seek advice about the SED situation and hopefully we can all get back to how it was.