TOP level talks are to take place between three Government departments in a bid to solve the chaos surrounding errors and complications in the Vehicle Certification Agency's 'New Car Fuel Consumption and Emission Figures' booklet. The booklet is supposed to act as the fleet manager's 'bible' for vehicle carbon dioxide emission figures with the April 2002 introduction of CO2-based company car tax.

However, the document is error-strewn and its complicated structure means it is easy for fleet managers to make errors which could cost company car drivers cash but could also cost the Inland Revenue millions of pounds. The meeting between the VCA and representatives of the Inland Revenue and Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions is expected to be followed by a meeting with fleet industry representatives.

Fleet managers must know - before a company car is chosen and ordered - whether the vehicle will be Euro II or Euro III emissions compliant. But the booklet contains wide discrepancies between Euro II and Euro III emission compliant models which could be the difference in company car driver tax bills of several hundred pounds. Peter Nicholl, the VCA's deputy chief executive, said errors already identified on Audi and Peugeot models in the January booklet were being corrected and the VCA's website allowed it to update data with new models and corrections. Nicholl said the VCA did take notice of comments and this week said: 'We are working very hard to get the booklet right, rather than getting involved in any slanging matches.'

VCA website