§ Mr. SayeedTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures he plans to introduce to assist the haulage industry. [117315]
§ Mr. TimmsIn his recent Budget Statement, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a package of measures that will further boost the competitiveness of the UK haulage industry: the introduction of 44 tonne lorries for general use on UK roads from a target date of 1 January 2001; £45 million of cuts to Vehicle Excise Duty, targeted particularly at those parts of the haulage industry facing competitive pressure; and tougher enforcement to tackle illegally-operating hauliers and protect the competitiveness of legitimate operators. These measures are set out in detail in paragraphs 6.68–6.74 of the Economic and Fiscal Strategy Report, published on 21 March 2000.