TORY GREEN TAX PROPOSALS LACK SUBSTANCE - HUHNE

6.05.43pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 31st Aug 2006

Responding to George Osborne's announcement that the Tories are considering raising green taxes, Liberal Democrat Shadow Environment Secretary, Chris Huhne MP said:

"It is flattering that the Tories are moving towards the Liberal Democrat position of supporting a rise in green taxes to change behaviour, but they still haven't proposed a single specific measure.

"Warm words are no substitute for hard plans. The key to changing behaviour is to raise green taxes, offset by cuts in income tax, whereas the Tories propose only to raise green taxes as a share of total taxes, which may be falling. That will not change behaviour at all."