Dr Peter Levell

Randomised trials have helped to shape policy in the developing world. Drawing on examples, we argue that it's time the UK made better use of this important tool for evidence-based policymaking.

Today the Environmental Audit Committee published a report focusing on the implications of Budget 2011 for environmental taxes. One of the key recommendations was that in order to 'build trust and acceptance of environmental taxes', consideration should be given to 'greater use of at least partial hypothecation of revenues from environmental taxes [for environmental ends].' We argue that earmarking revenues in this way would be at best meaningless and at worst inefficient, and that a case for increased green taxes ought to be argued on its own merits.

Rapid increases in pump prices have sparked renewed debate on the level of fuel duties, with calls for the Chancellor to cancel April's planned real-terms increase in the forthcoming Budget. There is also continued speculation about the prospect of a "fair fuel stabiliser". What are the facts and how should we assess these proposals?

These slides were delivered at the IFS Green Budget 2011.

This presentation was delivered as an 'IFS Public Economics Lecture', December 2010.

The September 2010 inflation numbers, used for the annual inflation adjustments to many taxes, benefits and tax credits, were published today by the ONS. In June, the Chancellor announced that benefits would be uprated with the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) rather than the Retail Prices Index (RPI) or Rossi Index from April 2011, claiming that the CPI provided a better measure of benefit recipients'

The Coalition agreement reiterated the Conservative's manifesto pledge to "increase the proportion of tax revenue accounted for by environmental taxes". Past experience suggests that this is easier said than done: environmental taxes fell sharply as a share of total receipts during the Labour Government's period in office despite a similar ambition to shift taxes from 'goods' to 'bads'. Unless the Coalition announces new increases in environmental taxes, the latest forecasts show they are unlikely to meet their pledge either.

The Conservatives have pledged in their manifesto to "increase the proportion of tax revenues accounted for by environmental taxes, ensuring that any additional revenues from new green taxes that are principally designed as an environmental measure to change behaviour are used to reduce the burden of taxation elsewhere".