Membership of gyms and ‘health clinics’ should be tax free in order to promote a healthy lifestyle and thus reduce pressure on the budget for health, the Forum group of trade unions has suggested in its Budget proposals.

It said that all motor bikes should be free of road tax so that more people would use them instead of cars, reducing traffic congestion and parking problems.

Furthermore, instead of using huge amounts of money to subsidise the bus service, the government should consider an underground metro system, the group said.