§ Mr. CarmichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make it his policy to offer direct grants under the PowerShift Programme. [51975]
§ Mr. JamiesonAt the moment, the prospective purchaser of a cleaner fuel vehicle applies to the Energy Saving Trust for a PowerShift grant before buying the vehicle or having their existing vehicle converted. This ensures that the conversion is on the PowerShift Register of clean, safe conversions, and safeguards against fraud. When the grant is confirmed, the applicant buys or converts the vehicle. The garage or converter provides a certificate, and the applicant claims the grant.
The trust have also introduced a new block grant scheme, under which the vehicle manufacturers can deduct the appropriate PowerShift grant from the list price or rental cost of the vehicle. This alternative means that the purchaser is not involved in applying for PowerShift grants.