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Cameron and Brown unveil green plans

Published On 13 March 2007 at 10:35:19

David Cameron and Gordon Brown have gone head-to-head this week with their proposals for a cleaner, greener Britain ahead of the publication of the Climate Change Bill today.

The Conservatives unveiled their proposals, with plans for a tax on aviation attracting the most attention.

Under the scheme, flyers would pay tax on flights taken on a sliding scale - the more flights taken, the higher the rate of tax applied.

"If we put green taxes onto flights or gas-guzzling cars we will cut them elsewhere," Mr Cameron insisted.

Despite this, the Institute of Directors has expressed concern that the competitiveness of British business would be adversely affected by the increased cost of flying and the levy has been labelled a "tax on fun".

Chancellor Gordon Brown announced his own green plans in response, unveiling a package of green measures including tax incentives to use renewable energy sources and the phasing out of traditional light-bulbs.

The government's Climate Change Bill is expected to contain mandatory carbon emission budgets for the nation as a whole.

 

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