Chancellor Gordon Brown has drawn up a number of measures in his pre-budget report, announced earlier today, to clean up the environment.

Brown said economic prosperity must be achieved while protecting the environment to ensure a better quality of life for current and future generations.

The Pre-Budget Report announced:

  • measures to promote energy efficiency, including support for investment by small businesses and the public sector in energy saving products;

  • the continuation of the freeze on main road fuel duties, in response to the continued volatility in oil prices; additional funding to promote the development of cleaner power generation

  • measures to promote the use of cleaner fuels and vehicles, including support for the development of biofuels.

    However, the report drew a scathing response from the Retail Motor Industry Federation.

    "The pre-budget statement is a missed opportunity to help businesses: they continue to carry the costs as the Government's tax collectors.

    "Business finance, payroll administration, national minimum wage and capital allowances: these are just some of the vital retail motor industry business topics ignored by the Chancellor in his pre-budget speech today," said Matthew Carrington, RMI chief executvie said.

    He continued: "We are extremely disappointed that opportunities to address issues within our sector have not been seized. Also, there was no mention of any further reduction in the 'gold plating' of EU Directives, which only serves to reduce the competitiveness of UK businesses."