Well, thanks a bundle, Mr Darling. The 2.5% cut in VAT might bring about a small saving for Christmas shoppers, but it does nothing for small businesses.

Factor in the extra 2p a litre in fuel duty and you’ve just made things a lot tougher for anybody running a business van. For most businesses, VAT is reclaimable. Fuel duty is not.

The Government hammers on about helping small businesses – but the only beneficiaries of state hand-outs have been the banks – whose profligacy and poor management have largely caused the current economic crisis.

So how about doing something to help commercial vehicle users? One measure would be to offer a similar fuel duty rebate to van and truck operators as is given to bus companies. That would have several benefits – not least giving a competitive advantage back to British CV operators who are increasingly losing business to ‘cabotage’ from Continental operators.

European rules mean it’s now legal for these operators, who buy their fuel at lower prices in Europe, to ply for work over here, undercutting UK operators – often using unsafe and more polluting vehicles.

OK, the heavy truck boys would be the main beneficiaries. But any business delivery vehicle should be included – vans play as big a role as lorries in keeping business moving. Every little helps, as one of our more successful retailers puts it.

Mark Bursa - editor

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