Tories and Labour challenged to back Liberal Democrats plans for a 'Green Tax Switch'

2.00.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 16th Oct 2006

Conservative and Labour MPs are being challenged to back Liberal Democrat plans for a 'green tax switch' in the House of Commons today. An "opposition day" motion tabled by the Lib Dems calls on the Government to raise taxes on aviation and new high-emission cars while cutting direct taxes on income to compensate. Labour MPs are expected to vote against the motion, but the Conservatives have not yet made their position clear. This comes ahead of next week's Green Tax Switch Campaign week by the Liberal Democrats.

The Liberal Democrat Motion

That this House notes with alarm the rise in carbon emissions since the Government took office in 1997; believes that this record is in part due to the steady fall in taxation derived from green taxes from 3.6 per cent of gross domestic product in 1999 down to 2.9 per cent last year; notes opinion poll support for a green tax switch from people onto pollution; urges the Government to move from rhetorical assent on the need for action on climate change to serious policy proposals which will set annual targets to cut carbon emissions, allowing for natural variations from year to year, and establish an independent monitoring body to report on progress; and therefore calls on the Government to increase green taxes on new high-emission cars and on aviation while using revenue generated to cut direct taxes, particularly on low earners, so that there is no overall rise in the burden of taxation.