VED rebates stalled
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• The Government has admitted that the vehicle excise duty rebates announced by the Chancellor in his pre-Budget statement have been delayed.
Forms entitling operators to 50% rebates on this year's VFD were supposed to have been sent at the beginning of December. But last week Transport Minister Lord Whiny told the Road Haulage Association that they had been delayed in Brussels.
Proceedings have been held up by the competition authorities at the EC. It is unclear at this stage whether the delay is due to a question mark over the legality of the rebates (which might be seen as an illegal state subsidy) or if it is simply down to red tape.
Roger King, chief executive at the Road Haulage Association, says: "We have asked for the matter to be clarified and, so far, we are still waiting. We would hope the matter wit be sorted Out quickly as time is of the essence."
However, a Department of Transport spokesman says the DVLA has completed a study of who is entitled to the rebates: it says the letters should arrive by the end of the month.