New zero-rate vehicle tax for least polluting cars
· Efforts to punish drivers of gas-guzzlers derided · Owners say extra tax will make no difference · Energy efficiency in homes to be encouraged
Brown invests more in homebuying
First-time buyers were given some good news today as the chancellor, Gordon Brown, announced plans to invest an extra £970m into shared ownership housing schemes.
Brown's green impression
Anna Bawden
In brief
Ask the experts: finance
Pre-budget plan
December 2005
Tax break expected over bad debt provisions
The high street banks appeared to have been handed a tax break by the chancellor over the treatment of bad debt provisions.
Full text of Gordon Brown's pre-budget report speech
Full text of the statement by the chancellor to the House of Commons
Chancellor promises 50,000 more homes a year
Chancellor Gordon Brown today unveiled measures to reform the planning system and build an extra 50,000 homes a year.