Letter to Jesse Norman MP regarding van VED

I am a van owner/driver and am writing about, inter alia, Vehicle Excise Duty for vans (up to 3,500kg Gross Vehicle Weight).

I don’t know whether you are aware of how disjointed your Government’s policies have become regarding such vehicles so please allow me to outline the issue and my questions to you. Here is a table of the various VED rates:

We both know that taxation (VED is a form of taxation) and legislation are used to incentivise/coerce the direction in which we should go. Clearly, some thought went into this with the introduction of lower VED for Euro 4&5 emission vans but the remainder is a dog’s breakfast.

Euro 6 emissions standards for vans became mandatory for new vans from September 2016 yet the VED is nearly double that of more polluting Euro 4&5 vans. Furthermore, the oldest and most polluting vans, particularly those over 1,549cc, have only marginally more expensive VED than latest Euro 6 compliant vans. None of this makes sense and no incentive is provided to buy the cleaner Euro 6 vans at a time when scientists are warning us of climate change disasters.

I would add that Euro 6 diesel engines (not just vans), many of which use AdBlue in a catalyst system to break down nitrogen oxides into safer nitrogen and water, produce similar or lower emissions than equivalent petrol engines yet they are being penalised by higher fuel duty on diesel fuel.

I am aware that a consultation has taken place on the subject of VED for vans but why is this happening so late and how has your department allowed things to become so disjointed? What is the plan for VED for vans going forward?

Indeed, I am frustrated that I even have to write to you about something which is so glaringly anomalous, something which an ‘O’ level student would be able to structure more logically.

I look forward to your urgent response.

Yours sincerely

Tony Hull

Hereford