Gordon Brown announces green budget plans

Measures to promote electric cars and other environmental innovations will be major part of 22 April budget, says PM
Andrew Sparrow and agencies
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 8 April 2009 09.29 BST

Gordon Brown said today that measures to promote electric cars and other green innovations would be a "major part" of the government's plans for recovery being unveiled in the budget later this month.
In an interview with the Independent, the prime minister said the government would announce incentives intended to enable Britain to become a market leader across the world for electric and hybrid cars.
Alistair Darling, the chancellor, is expected to say that trials for electric cars will begin in two or three cities next year. The government will also open negotiations with power companies to ensure that vehicles can be recharged at the roadside.
However, after the warning by the governor of the Bank of England, Mervyn King, that the country could not afford another big "stimulus" package to boost the economy, Brown also acknowledged in the interview that his room for manoeuvre was limited.
"It is not just what we do to give real help to people and business now, but about setting a path for the future as well. We always take into account both what we need to do now and what is best future for the fiscal position," he said.
In a reference to green initiatives in the budget, which will be on Wednesday 22 April, Brown said: "This is a major part of our plan for recovery in the budget. We will set our proposals for greener economy."
He went on: "This is a job creator, a quality of life improver, and an environment-enhancing measure. We want to harness a general desire among people to be part of this. A better Britain means building a greener Britain."
The government is also expected to announce a relaxation of the planning rules to enable the building of more wind farms to ensure the UK meets its target of getting 15% its energy from renewable sources by 2020.