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| Miliband draws up green tax plan | Miliband draws up green tax plan |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Environment Secretary David Miliband has confirmed the government is holding discussions on tackling climate change using green taxes. | Environment Secretary David Miliband has confirmed the government is holding discussions on tackling climate change using green taxes. |
| He refused to confirm details, shown in a leaked letter, which may include "pay as you drive", cheap-flight taxes and levies on energy-wasting appliances. | He refused to confirm details, shown in a leaked letter, which may include "pay as you drive", cheap-flight taxes and levies on energy-wasting appliances. |
| He told Sky News that "the longer we wait, the more costly it will be". | He told Sky News that "the longer we wait, the more costly it will be". |
| Meanwhile Conservative leader David Cameron has told the BBC he would be prepared to tax air travel. | Meanwhile Conservative leader David Cameron has told the BBC he would be prepared to tax air travel. |
| Liberal Democrat leader, Sir Menzies Campbell, said "hard choices" had to be made to combat climate change. | Liberal Democrat leader, Sir Menzies Campbell, said "hard choices" had to be made to combat climate change. |
| The comments come ahead of a report expected to warn climate change may cut global annual economic output by up to 20%. | The comments come ahead of a report expected to warn climate change may cut global annual economic output by up to 20%. |
| The influential report by economist Nicholas Stern is due to be published on Monday. | The influential report by economist Nicholas Stern is due to be published on Monday. |
| The Mail on Sunday quotes a leaked letter from Mr Miliband to Chancellor Gordon Brown from 18 October, which it says calls for urgent action in next month's public spending review and next year's Budget. | The Mail on Sunday quotes a leaked letter from Mr Miliband to Chancellor Gordon Brown from 18 October, which it says calls for urgent action in next month's public spending review and next year's Budget. |
| In the letter, Mr Miliband calls for measures to combat "car use and ownership", and a "substantial increase" in road tax, the paper claims. He also calls for a new pay-per-mile pollution tax. | In the letter, Mr Miliband calls for measures to combat "car use and ownership", and a "substantial increase" in road tax, the paper claims. He also calls for a new pay-per-mile pollution tax. |
| The paper said leaked proposals suggest families with big cars could end up paying more than £1,000 a year in additional tax. | The paper said leaked proposals suggest families with big cars could end up paying more than £1,000 a year in additional tax. |
| 'Tax flights' | 'Tax flights' |
| Changing people's behaviour is only achieved by "market forces and price signals," Mr Miliband wrote. | Changing people's behaviour is only achieved by "market forces and price signals," Mr Miliband wrote. |
| He added: "As our understandings of climate change increases, it is clear more needs to be done." | He added: "As our understandings of climate change increases, it is clear more needs to be done." |
| The minister also suggests making flights subject to VAT, for either domestic flights or "better still all EU flights," the Mail says. | The minister also suggests making flights subject to VAT, for either domestic flights or "better still all EU flights," the Mail says. |
| Mr Miliband also told Sky News that the UK was responsible for "two per cent of global emissions" and that it was "vital that this is a global response, not just a national response". | Mr Miliband also told Sky News that the UK was responsible for "two per cent of global emissions" and that it was "vital that this is a global response, not just a national response". |
| He said: "In the UK I think we should be proud that our country is leading the way in the reduction of the greenhouses gases, the carbon dioxides that are so dangerous. | He said: "In the UK I think we should be proud that our country is leading the way in the reduction of the greenhouses gases, the carbon dioxides that are so dangerous. |
| Higher emission vehicles could face higher road tax | Higher emission vehicles could face higher road tax |
| "It's very significant that the economics revealed by Sir Nicholas Stern's report should be that the longer we wait - and certainly the longer we wait beyond the ten to 15 year timeframe that's set by the scientists - the longer we wait, the more costly it will be. | "It's very significant that the economics revealed by Sir Nicholas Stern's report should be that the longer we wait - and certainly the longer we wait beyond the ten to 15 year timeframe that's set by the scientists - the longer we wait, the more costly it will be. |
| "I think it's good that the Conservatives have come out of the Stone Age, they want to debate these issues. | "I think it's good that the Conservatives have come out of the Stone Age, they want to debate these issues. |
| "I look forward to the next election when all parties are competing to show that they can make a difference on the climate." | "I look forward to the next election when all parties are competing to show that they can make a difference on the climate." |
| Tax hikes | Tax hikes |
| Sir Menzies told BBC One's Sunday AM programme: "We have absolutely no option but to deal with the problem of climate change and nothing but hard choices will do it." | Sir Menzies told BBC One's Sunday AM programme: "We have absolutely no option but to deal with the problem of climate change and nothing but hard choices will do it." |
| Meanwhile Mr Cameron spoke about green levies in an interview for the BBC One's The Politics Show. | Meanwhile Mr Cameron spoke about green levies in an interview for the BBC One's The Politics Show. |
| He told the programme: "Some green taxes do hit the poorest in our society, so we have to think about that very carefully before we make taxation decisions. | He told the programme: "Some green taxes do hit the poorest in our society, so we have to think about that very carefully before we make taxation decisions. |
| "If it means putting a tax on air travel, then yes, that's something we'd be prepared to do." | "If it means putting a tax on air travel, then yes, that's something we'd be prepared to do." |
| But he said budgetary decisions should be made closer to budgetary times. | But he said budgetary decisions should be made closer to budgetary times. |
| "We'll come up with those ideas closer to a general election - but green taxes will go up." | "We'll come up with those ideas closer to a general election - but green taxes will go up." |
| Mr Cameron also gave his backing to Liberal Democrat-controlled Richmond council's plans to charge the drivers of the most polluting vehicles higher parking fees. | Mr Cameron also gave his backing to Liberal Democrat-controlled Richmond council's plans to charge the drivers of the most polluting vehicles higher parking fees. |
| He also said he would put a wind turbine and solar panels on top of Downing Street if he became prime minister. | He also said he would put a wind turbine and solar panels on top of Downing Street if he became prime minister. |
| 'Grave threat' | |
| BBC political correspondent Robin Brant said there was general agreement amongst senior politicians that climate change is "really posing a grave threat to the future of the world". | |
| He said: "It's David Cameron's the new-look Conservatives who have made this issue the centre very much of their agenda now - somewhat surprising. | |
| "It was the Liberal Democrats who were the party who were going on about this for a long, long time before." | |
| And he added that Labour was likely to finalise its green tax plans over the coming weeks and would release further details in next year's budget. | |
| The Stern Review, due out on Monday, will examine economic, not environmental, arguments of global warming. | The Stern Review, due out on Monday, will examine economic, not environmental, arguments of global warming. |
| Sir Nicholas's report is expected to claim that at the very best the cost of tackling global warming would be 1% of annual economic output. | Sir Nicholas's report is expected to claim that at the very best the cost of tackling global warming would be 1% of annual economic output. |
| The report looked at the impact of global warming on economic output, or gross domestic product (GDP), until 2100. | The report looked at the impact of global warming on economic output, or gross domestic product (GDP), until 2100. |
| A new report, Up In Smoke 2, based on research from a coalition of UK aid agencies and environmental groups, says climate change is already affecting Africa. | A new report, Up In Smoke 2, based on research from a coalition of UK aid agencies and environmental groups, says climate change is already affecting Africa. |