THE Conservative Party is backing calls by the fleet and leasing industry to scrap the 'October 2000' introduction of graduated Vehicle Excise Duty. The British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association and Association of Car Fleet Operators have called for a delay in the introduction of the new system to March 1, 2001 to avoid administrative confusion, and coincide with a plate change.

Now, Damian Green MP, Conservative environment spokesman, has added to the pressure on the Treasury, telling Fleet NewsNet: 'If the fleet industry is saying delay implementation then the Government should listen and accept that rushing out the implementation date before deciding on the detail was half-cocked.'

The Conservatives are advocating a VED based on all exhaust pollutants, not just CO2 and believe the charge should be graded according to a vehicle's 'total environmental standards' using the Euro I, II and III criteria.